Brief aan Pieter Gerbrand van Tienhoven Possibly 1952 - 1959

This letter was written by H.M. de Bruyn in Amsterdam in 1952. Look at the ink bleeding into the paper, pooling in certain areas, fading in others. It’s this kind of imperfection that holds my attention. Imagine de Bruyn holding the pen, pressing down on the paper to form each word, each sentence, each thought. I bet he paused now and then, maybe scratched out a word or two, or even crumpled up the page and started again. What was he thinking as he wrote? What did he want to say? And how did he want to say it? The density of the script and the way the words are arranged on the page evoke the artist’s personality. It feels both formal and intimate, as if we're peering into a private conversation. Artists are always in conversation with each other, across time and space. They inspire each other, challenge each other, and push each other to see the world in new ways. It is expression embodied in ink and paper, with all its ambiguities and uncertainties.