Schetsboek met 33 bladen 1919

This sketchbook with 33 pages, made by Reijer Stolk, is a real object lesson in how simple materials can speak volumes. What strikes me first is the cover, it’s got this incredible texture, almost like reptile skin or dried mud. Looking closer, you see these little ridges and valleys, making a topography all of its own, and it gets you thinking about the hand that held it, the places it’s been, and the marks it’s collected over time. The color, too, is muted and earthy, like something found in nature. It makes me think of Arte Povera, of artists like Alberto Burri, who found beauty in the everyday and the discarded. This sketchbook isn't just a container for ideas, it is an idea in itself. It suggests that art is not only about the finished product but also about the process, the journey, and the quiet beauty of humble materials.