Blank 1937 - 1938

This sketchbook page by Niels Larsen Stevns is like a quiet invitation into the artist's mind. The left page is filled with scribbled lines, a jumble of marks, while the other page is neatly ruled, almost pristine. It’s as if we’re seeing the before and after of the creative process, the chaotic energy of thought meeting the desire for order. Look closely at those lines on the left. They’re tentative, searching, like the artist is feeling his way through an idea. I love that they are not precious, they show the artist’s vulnerability, the willingness to make mistakes. It reminds me of Cy Twombly's notebooks; both artists use the surface of the page as a space for experimentation and play. This page suggests that art isn’t just about the finished product, but the messy, uncertain journey it takes to get there. It’s a reminder that sometimes, the most interesting things happen in the spaces between the lines.