Blank 1864 - 1941

Niels Larsen Stevns made this _Blank_ artwork, we're not sure exactly when or with what. I see it as an invitation to consider the physical qualities of a book, without the distraction of its content. The creamy, off-white paper is tactile and inviting, almost like skin. The pages are slightly discolored with age, each bearing subtle marks of handling and use. I think this adds depth and a sense of history to the piece. The texture of the paper, slightly rough and absorbent, is key. You can almost feel it between your fingers. The spine, worn and slightly cracked, shows the evidence of time and many openings and closings. It is the subtle, understated beauty of the book’s physicality that Stevns draws our attention to. I wonder what Agnes Martin would have made of it? She also showed us how to look at the beauty of the understated mark. For me, this piece is a reminder to embrace the quiet ambiguity in art, and to find meaning in the simplest forms.