Brief aan Anna Dorothea Dirks Possibly 1909 - 1913

Curator: So, here we have “Brief aan Anna Dorothea Dirks,” possibly from between 1909 and 1913, by Andrè Jolles. It's an ink drawing on paper. Editor: It's just fascinating to me how casual and familiar this drawing feels; you know, like a snippet from a friend. What strikes you when you look at the materiality of this letter? Curator: Well, I see a deliberate attempt to subvert traditional notions of art. Jolles takes something so functional – a personal letter, written in ink – and presents it almost as a found object. Think about the paper, probably cheap, mass-produced. The ink, readily available. It strips away the preciousness associated with high art. What kind of labor does the handwriting reveal? Editor: I hadn’t thought of it that way. The handwriting, definitely. It seems to reveal not only a personal touch but a certain lack of artifice. No fancy calligraphy here. The labor is functional communication. What’s the effect of seeing an everyday tool like the pen so front and center? Curator: It shifts our focus to the process of communication itself. Jolles is foregrounding the tools and means by which messages are transmitted. Consider this letter as a commodity. Is it merely information, or is it elevated by its form – by the materiality of the ink and paper? The labour, the making… where is the value created, and who determines that value? Editor: It’s definitely making me rethink the boundaries between personal communication and artistic expression. It's not just a message; it's an artifact, loaded with social implications. Curator: Precisely. We see here a clear deconstruction of what we typically consider ‘art,’ forcing us to examine the systems and materials that construct our understanding. It’s really quite profound. Editor: That's such an eye-opener. I now see how the materials themselves and the method in which the artist communicated contribute significantly to this piece's overall meaning and purpose.