Brief aan Mien Cambier van Nooten Possibly 1939

Curator: This piece, "Brief aan Mien Cambier van Nooten," possibly from 1939 by Dick Ket, done with pen and ink, offers such a raw glimpse into the artist’s world. The density of the lettering gives me a very textural feel. What strikes you? Editor: It looks intensely personal and quite claustrophobic, almost frantic. The close, cramped writing seems to trap the words on the page. How do you interpret this work? Curator: For me, understanding Ket's practice means diving into the material conditions of its making. We need to consider what it meant to produce something like this using pen and ink during this period. Was paper readily available? What kind of ink was accessible? The sheer act of transcription – writing, and rewriting, thoughts and images reveals not only an intimacy, but also labor and an embodied connection to the work. Editor: So, you're saying that the materiality—the specific choice of pen and ink, the handwriting itself—is as important as the content of the letter? Curator: Precisely! Think about the artist's hand, the physical act of writing each word. The commitment and the deliberate, time-consuming process it demands. The text is almost woven into the fibers of the paper. Considering Ket's style within the context of broader artistic production highlights a fascinating intersection of "high art" and the traditional domain of craftsmanship. What do you think the repetition in the letter suggests, knowing it's crafted through ink on paper? Editor: It really shifts my perspective to think about it as a physical process. I was so focused on the message, I missed how the very act of creating it might be the point. Curator: Exactly! By recognizing these material and performative aspects, we gain a richer appreciation of Ket's artistic endeavor and it makes the work less alienating. Editor: I will certainly look at artworks differently, considering their material construction more carefully now. Thanks.