Conceptbrief aan Jan Kalff Possibly 1907

This is a letter to Jan Kalff by Jan Veth, full of looping script in brown ink on a cream page. The letter is about ideas, and the making of art, and the marks on the page evidence this artistic process. Look at the way the pen has been dragged across the page, leaving a trail of ink that varies in thickness and darkness. The ink pools in some areas, creating little puddles of pigment that add texture and depth to the surface. It's like looking at a landscape, with hills and valleys formed by the movement of the pen. See the signature at the bottom, it's the most expressive flourish on the page. Veth’s handwriting makes me think of Cy Twombly and his painterly scrawls. Both artists use the written word as a form of expression, blurring the line between language and image. It's a reminder that art doesn't always have to be pretty or perfect. Sometimes, the most beautiful things are the ones that are a little bit messy and imperfect.