Liebespaar 1933

Walter Kurt Wiemken made this painting, *Liebespaar*, with what looks like gouache or maybe thinned acrylic, and a lot of blue. See how the colours are applied in transparent layers, building up intensity in certain areas? The painting feels kind of raw, like it's been made quickly. There's a real intimacy to the piece. The way he's painted the faces, especially the one with the eye, it's like they're wearing masks. It makes me think about how we present ourselves to each other, the roles we play in relationships. Notice that little cat slinking across the bottom of the image, there is a real sense of playfulness at work here. There's something that reminds me of the dreamlike, symbolic quality of some of Odilon Redon's work. It's like Wiemken is exploring the inner landscape of love, the hidden emotions and desires. Ultimately, this painting leaves me with more questions than answers, and that's what makes it so compelling.