Algemeen Handelsblad Possibly 1945

This slightly crumpled newspaper, Algemeen Handelsblad, was printed on Monday, April 16th, 1945. I can only imagine what it must have been like to read this back then! As an artist, I wonder what materials were available to the printer at this time? What processes were available? Look how the ink sits on the page in a way that almost seems to bleed. This newspaper feels less like something that was printed but something that was *grown* from a dark room. These inky words are set and arranged block by block; they feel heavy, like the weight of everything they describe. The typeset feels almost combative in its density. The work, and the news it carries, has an interesting and urgent texture. It’s a reminder that all artists, even printers, must be resourceful and creative with the materials and conditions they have available to them. It is often in times of scarcity that creativity flourishes.