Tekstkader 1884 - 1952

This work, "Tekstkader", was made by Reinier Willem Petrus de Vries. The black ink meanders and pools to form letters and frame this declarative image. I can imagine de Vries hunched over this small piece of paper, the scratch of the pen, the smell of the ink. What did he want to say? What did he want us to *do*? The letters are gothic, medieval, but the sentiment feels modern, direct. The zig-zagging frame attempts to contain the expression, but like all good marks, it feels urgent, like a reminder, a sticky note stuck to the studio wall, a note to self. I can imagine de Vries experimenting with letterforms, finding new ways to communicate and make meaning. And now, years later, we are in conversation with his work. Isn't that wild?