Adressen 1862 - 1864

Curator: So, what's catching your eye about this piece? Editor: This is "Adressen" by Johannes Tavenraat, made between 1862 and 1864. It’s ink on paper. It looks like a page torn from a notebook. It’s very intimate, like a private document. I wonder what its purpose was. What do you see in it? Curator: For me, this drawing brings up questions about artistic labor and the marketplace. It's a glimpse into Tavenraat's working process, not as a display of skill but a functional record. Consider the materiality of the notebook itself, mass-produced paper and ink, commonplace items facilitating artistic production. The addresses listed point towards networks – suppliers, patrons, collaborators. Who are these people and what role did they play in the circulation and consumption of art? What about the act of writing, a skill intertwined with administration and commerce, being essential for artistic viability? Editor: So you're saying it isn’t just a list, but a peek into the economics of being an artist? I hadn't thought about it that way. The tearing of the page itself, does that add anything? Curator: Exactly. That tear – it signifies a detachment from the original context. This shifts it from a utilitarian object to a document meant for contemplation. Maybe that process creates art? Is this intentional, accidental, or both? These elements speak to a tension between the artist's creative vision and their need to operate within a commercial system. Editor: It’s fascinating how a seemingly simple list can reveal so much about the artist's world. I appreciate the reframing. Curator: Indeed! It underscores how deeply enmeshed artmaking is with the materials, processes, and social structures of its time.