Kalebassen c. 1944 - 1990

Editor: Here we have Kees Stoop's "Kalebassen," an etching and ink drawing dating from sometime between 1944 and 1990. The lines are so delicate, creating a beautiful contrast between the smooth gourds and the rough textures. What do you make of this unassuming still life? Curator: It’s interesting to consider the context in which Stoop was working. Post-war Dutch art grappled with trauma and reconstruction. While not explicitly depicting hardship, this piece resonates with that era. Etchings and ink drawings, due to their portability and accessibility, became tools for artists to create and disseminate art beyond established institutions, marking a democratization of artistic expression. Editor: Democratization… how so? Curator: Printmaking, including etchings like this one, allowed for multiple reproductions, breaking down the exclusivity surrounding unique artworks. The starkness of the ink further strips away excess, focusing on form. Did this accessibility change how people interacted with art? How might the Dutch public have viewed everyday objects like these gourds in relation to broader artistic trends? Editor: That’s a fascinating point! Maybe Stoop used this easily-reproducible medium to depict commonplace objects, elevating them as a form of accessible beauty amidst post-war austerity. The distribution would change the narrative itself. Curator: Precisely. It questions the traditional hierarchy of subject matter. What kind of spaces might people have viewed and engaged with such art at the time, if it was distributed widely? Editor: This makes me reconsider my initial impression; it is less about just appreciating still life and more about access, democratisation, and resilience in art! Thank you. Curator: Indeed. Looking at the conditions of production is key. Always interrogate the circumstances in which art is consumed!