Ontwerpen voor een ring 1913

Mathieu Lauweriks made these ring designs on a small piece of paper, and there's something very casual about the marks. He's not precious with his materials, allowing the designs to jostle with the text and handwritten script. It makes you think about process. The designs themselves are quite varied, from tightly wound spirals to open, flowing forms. In the bottom left corner, there's a design that I keep coming back to, it's a cluster of dark, almost gothic shapes. The individual marks are distinct, yet merge, giving an interesting texture. The black ink isn't particularly glossy or matte, it's got an absorbent quality, as if it just melts into the fibres of the paper. It reminds me of some of Hilma af Klint’s sketchbooks, where she jotted down notes and ideas alongside her paintings. There's a similar sense of exploration and not quite knowing what the end result will be. With art, the goal isn't to nail down one single meaning, but to keep the conversation open.