Haag met bomen en schuren 1939 - 2009

Kees Stoop made this drawing of a hedge with trees and barns, with what looks like a graphite stick on paper. There’s a real sense of mark-making at play. It's all about the process and the push-and-pull of the material. The texture is key here, isn’t it? Look at how the graphite is layered to create depth, especially in the hedge in the foreground. It's almost like Stoop is building up the image, stroke by stroke. I love the way he uses the side of the graphite to create broader, softer areas of tone, and then switches to the tip for those sharp, wiry lines in the trees. It’s such a great way to explore the possibilities of the medium. Stoop reminds me a little of Alfred Kubin in the way he finds this edge-of-the-world feeling, of a landscape that tips over into the realm of dreams. You know, art doesn't have to be about answers, it's more about opening up questions.