Leaves Collected on 27 of October in the Glasgraben 1977

On a day in late October, Herman de Vries gathered leaves in the Glasgraben to make this piece. I imagine him walking around the Glasgraben, looking for the right kind of leaves. Arranging the leaves like this, in a neat grid, makes me think about the act of collecting. The leaves themselves are fragile, and their colors are muted browns and yellows, but there are many of them, each one slightly different. Some have holes, some are torn. Each has a distinctive shape. I get a sense of the artist being connected to a specific time and place. The act of arranging and presenting the leaves becomes a gesture of care and attention, like bringing a hidden world into focus. It reminds me of the work of Agnes Martin. It is a delicate act of noticing. As an artist, I feel an affinity for this approach to artmaking. I am inspired to look more closely at the world around me.