b"PrefaceFredaKhler'sworksarepartofalongtraditionofmediumisticdrawings,examplesofwhichcanbefoundinthePrinzhornCollectionatHeidelbergUniversityHospital.Theyarecharacterizedbyswingingandcirclinglinesthatresultfromfreemovementsofthehandandarm.Thecreatorsofthistypeofworktrytorelinquishcontrolofthedrawinghandandleaveittootherforcesthatseemtocomefromthehereafter.ThisisprobablywhatKhlerdescribesonthebackofoneofhersheetsashumanabandonmentofinnerexperiencethroughearthlymeans.ThereareusefulcomparisonstobemadewithotherworkinthePrinzhornCollection.Forexample,thatoftheformer chamber singer Malvina von Carolsfeld (18251904), the first Isolde in music history,dating from 1897. With circular pencil movements she tried to establish contact with herdeceasedhusband,andinsomeofthemwrittenstatementsandevenentiresentencesfromhimactuallyappearedonthepaperthroughtheprocess.Anotherexampleisaworkfromaround1920byapatientnamedKllabytheZurichpsychoanalystOskarPfister.Shesawherselfasamedium,butweknownothingelseabouther.Shecoversthewholesurfaceofalargesheetofpaperwithundulatinglines,frombottomlefttotoprightandthenaddsanimal-likestructurestothisuniformrhythmicmovement(Prinzhorn).ThisissimilartothewaysinwhichKhlerworks,althoughherimagesareadditionallybeautifulessaysincolour.DrThomasRske,DirectorThePrinzhornCollection,HeidelbergUniversityHospitalOpposite:1.Untitled,pencilandcolouredcrayononcard,56x43cm(22x17in)1"