Gelmeroda V 1916

Lyonel Feininger made this drawing, Gelmeroda V, with charcoal, using soft, smudgy marks and sharp, decisive lines. It's all about how those marks come together, that dance between intention and accident, to create an image. Look at the texture of the charcoal – how it's been rubbed into the paper, creating these hazy, atmospheric effects. Then, see how he’s built up the forms of the buildings using dark and light, almost like he’s sculpting with shadows. I love the way he's framed the central space with those dark vertical lines. They're solid, but also kind of wavering, like they're about to dissolve into the background. It reminds me that art is all about process, about finding the image through the act of making. Feininger's work has some relationship to artists like Paul Klee, in their shared interest in geometric abstraction. These guys were fascinated with how simple shapes and lines could create something complex and evocative. It's a conversation that continues to this day, showing that art never really gives you a straight answer. It's all about asking questions.