Conceptbrief aan Albert Messein Possibly 1930

This letter to Albert Messein was written in November 1930 by Henriette Wilhelmina van Baak. The almost ghostly grey ink is applied in very fine, controlled strokes, a process that’s all about focus and precision, something I try to bring to my own practice. Look at the texture of the paper, almost translucent in places, with the writing appearing to float on its surface. It reminds me that art, even in its most functional forms, can be deeply material. Notice how some words are more defined than others, almost like the writer has gone over them again and again, really thinking about the words they’re trying to form. It’s that kind of layering and building up that I find so compelling in art. Van Baak's letter reminds me of the kinds of intricate drawings made by Agnes Martin – both artists finding something sublime in quiet, repetitive marks. Art is this ongoing conversation, echoing through time. It is about ambiguity, offering endless interpretations, which is far more interesting than anything fixed.