Danser 1906 - 1945

Editor: This is "Danser," a pencil drawing by Reijer Stolk, made sometime between 1906 and 1945. It’s currently held in the Rijksmuseum. I’m struck by its almost ghostly quality, and how little detail there is. What catches your eye about it? Curator: Well, initially, it's important to consider the materiality. This is a quick sketch, right? Made with a readily available material – pencil on paper. It isn't a grand painting, but rather a study. The means of production are humble. But think about the body – its labor captured through those minimal lines. Editor: Yes, it does feel like a fleeting moment captured. It's like Stolk was trying to record movement itself, and using simple tools for it. Curator: Precisely. So what does it mean to represent dance, action, a body’s labour using such rudimentary tools? The drawing seems incomplete. Consider that, perhaps, it speaks volumes about the labor of the artist—and the dancer, or model—where does that intersect with the availability of material? This wasn’t meant to be seen. This would've been discarded at one time. It is intriguing it survives at all. Why? Editor: That makes me consider the act of drawing as a form of physical labour too. Also, I never thought of the work showing a dancer’s work and labour. Curator: Exactly! How do you think that changes our understanding when labor is made more readily “available”? Would we appreciate it as art then? It gives new perspective. Editor: Definitely, thinking about it in terms of labor and material changes my perspective on the artist’s choice to leave it so minimal and rough. Curator: Exactly. A shift in focus can drastically change your entire framework!