Blank 1930 - 1936

This is a page from Niels Larsen Stevns’ sketchbook, a blank page made of paper. I wonder about the before and after of this page; what came before, and what will come after? What thoughts were running through Stevns’ mind, perhaps even as he was simply turning the page? I think about the way we hold a sketchbook, that intimate relationship with the artist, the way you can sense their presence, a little like holding someone’s hand. Of course, there’s something funny about showing a blank page in a museum. But actually, it's a great reminder that artists are always in conversation with one another across time, inspiring each other's creativity. And maybe the biggest inspiration of all is possibility itself. Painting embraces ambiguity, allowing for multiple interpretations and meanings.