Torens 1984

Curator: Let's delve into Harrie A. Gerritz's "Torens," a woodcut print from 1984. It’s currently held at the Rijksmuseum. What are your initial thoughts? Editor: I'm struck by its simplicity and the blocky forms. The work seems almost like a child's drawing, but with a sense of deliberate composition in the contrast between the two towers and use of geometric lines. How do you interpret this work? Curator: Well, considering its materiality as a woodcut, we can focus on the labour involved. The artist has engaged directly with their material. This print relies heavily on the process. You have the marks left by the tool, the conscious decision to emphasize angularity, the manual labour evident in the creation of the block and the resulting prints. How do you see that process reflected? Editor: I see that labor you’re speaking about in the visible cuts of the wood. The uneven ink application adds another element. Are you saying that focusing on the work involved elevates the art? Curator: It's less about elevation and more about understanding the context. It pushes us to consider printmaking, not just as a reproductive medium, but as a valuable method of expression, especially when artists like Gerritz actively highlight the “making” within the final product. Editor: I never thought of it that way before. Seeing the work and labor more directly opens it up to a completely different level of appreciation and questions about value. Curator: Exactly! Considering material and process changes our perception entirely. The value shifts from being solely aesthetic to something rooted in tangible work, creative intention and choices regarding what the artist chooses to emphasize. Editor: I guess I had previously looked for artistic merit, missing the process. I understand the emphasis of the choices more now. Thanks for the insightful guidance.