Whip His Image Until Bleeding (Hypnagogic Movement) 1945

Dolfi Trost made this artwork, Whip His Image Until Bleeding (Hypnagogic Movement), with paint and paper. The visible texture of the paint implies a direct, perhaps hasty, application. Given its title, the process by which this work came into being seems crucial. ‘Hypnagogic’ refers to the state just before falling asleep – a threshold space of dreamlike imagery. Here, Trost appears to explore an aesthetic of spontaneous mark-making, in an attempt to capture the forms that flicker in our minds unbidden. He uses the materials of art – paint and paper – to delve into the depths of the psyche. This piece also has social relevance; art movements like Surrealism explored such subjective terrain to challenge traditional power structures. Trost’s title suggests an act of rebellion, ‘whipping’ an unspecified ‘image’ toward a state of rupture. Ultimately, understanding the materials, process, and historical context is essential for grasping the full meaning of this artwork.