Composition IV - Ornamental 1934

Curator: Here we have Werner Drewes's "Composition IV - Ornamental," a woodcut print from 1934. Editor: Oh, this piece zings with energy, doesn't it? Like looking at a fractured, yet elegant, machine blueprint. Black and white tension with hints of a deeper narrative somewhere—a hidden city maybe, or some wild internal landscape. Curator: The abstraction is certainly dynamic. Notice how Drewes employs geometric forms and sharp angles to create a sense of movement. It reflects the influence of German Expressionism, yet deviates through pure abstraction. The title suggests an engagement with the decorative arts too. Editor: Decorative arts gone rogue perhaps? I love how the contrasting tones make your eyes dance across the surface. Each shape pushes and pulls, giving it almost a musical quality. Like a silent jazz score made of sharp edges and playful lines. Is there something unsettling there too, under the surface dazzle? Curator: Perhaps that is found within the Expressionist movement, reflecting the disquiet and anxiety of the interwar period, especially relevant to Drewes, given the sociopolitical landscape of the time. He was declared a degenerate artist and forbidden to exhibit or teach soon after creating this. Consider how his manipulation of form may echo a fractured identity during repression. Editor: "Degenerate," huh? Figures. It's got that defiant spark. That need to smash up old ideas. Makes me think this isn’t just a composition; it’s a statement, an act of rebellion chiselled into wood. The deep cuts and strong contrast only emphasise that mood. Curator: Exactly, the print becomes a testament to Drewes's defiance of constraints. The geometric and linear forms used in non-mimetic ways suggest both an inner turmoil and the possibility of constructing something entirely new. It pushes the ornamental to a point where it transforms from pleasant design to something… more. Editor: More vital, maybe? Like a code waiting to be cracked, revealing not just beauty, but resilience and the strength of individual vision. This has gone straight on my 'want to understand more' list. Curator: It’s a piece that demands your full attention, indeed. A formal exercise in abstraction, but laden with so much deeper contextual and personal expression too.