Untitled (Death Mask) 1978

Arnulf Rainer made this untitled work, a death mask, with graphite or charcoal, building up the image through layers of frantic marks. It's like watching an image being constructed and deconstructed at the same time, revealing the process of art making as an act of layering and erasure. The surface vibrates with energy. The graphite is applied in a furious network of lines, almost obscuring the underlying image, with certain areas more heavily worked than others, creating a sense of depth and texture. Look closely at the scribbled lines that form the beard; they are so chaotic and intense, yet they come together to define the form, and it's easy to imagine the artist's hand moving quickly across the page, driven by some kind of inner urgency. Rainer's work is often compared to that of Francis Bacon, in that both artists confront themes of mortality and the human condition, though Rainer's approach is more abstract, embracing ambiguity. There’s no right or wrong way to see this piece, it's more like an invitation to contemplate the unknown and find your own personal resonance within it.