Fêtes du Congrès international des étudiants Bordeaux 1907

This is a poster made by Leonetto Cappiello to advertise student festivities in Bordeaux, 1907. Look at how Cappiello puts down these colours, like a kind of purple haze that bleeds into the background of the piece. It's like he's not afraid to let the colours mingle and do their own thing. You can tell he knew exactly when to stop, when to leave it alone. What I love about this piece is the way it embraces imperfection. It's not about precise representation; it's about capturing a feeling, a mood, a sense of excitement. The gestural lines of the dancers and the juicy grapes are set off by the stiff men in the background. There is one isolated white glove. What does it mean? Cappiello’s approach feels akin to Toulouse-Lautrec, with that similar raw energy, and willingness to experiment. For me, art is about asking questions rather than providing answers. It’s an ongoing conversation, a way of seeing the world in new and unexpected ways.