Kop van Javaan van Van Heutsz monument Batavia 1932

This is Hendrik Albertus van den Eijnde's 'Head of a Javanese man from the Van Heutsz monument Batavia.' We're not sure exactly when it was made, but it’s a mysterious work made from some kind of stone. I think that, as an artist, van den Eijnde was really looking to define and capture the essence of the Javanese man in a way that could convey some truth. When you look at this, you can see that he was also dealing with that old-timey sculptural issue: how to make something solid and still feel alive, how to make a likeness without losing the feeling. It’s such a tough balance. I wonder if he had any conversations with other artists at the time? I think artists are always in conversation with each other. That's how we get inspired and keep the creative juices flowing, you know? In the end, it's about embracing uncertainty and finding new ways of seeing and expressing.