Brief aan Mien Cambier van Nooten Possibly 1939

Curator: Today we're examining a piece by Dick Ket entitled "Brief aan Mien Cambier van Nooten," thought to be from 1939, currently residing at the Rijksmuseum. It is composed of ink and pen on paper. Editor: My initial response? Intimate. There's something so raw about seeing a handwritten letter. It feels like peering into someone’s private thoughts. The sheer volume of script seems incredibly personal, revealing untold layers beneath what little information is here. Curator: Ket, known for his detailed still lifes and self-portraits, here gives us a glimpse into his personal correspondence. The handwriting, spidery and dense, does create an immediate sense of intimacy. It reminds us of the very tangible nature of communication, something often lost in our digital age. Each curve of the letters appears to hold meaning, as it seems as thought his entire essence is imprinted there. Editor: Absolutely. And look at how the ink bleeds into the paper in places. The density of the writing creates this interesting interplay of dark and light areas. Even without knowing the language, the composition evokes a strong mood - a blend of thoughtfulness and urgency. You notice immediately that every letter is a world of detail onto itself and as such becomes the landscape it is set upon. The material density suggests the depth of an emotionality or idea here. Curator: The letter format is significant, isn't it? The act of physically writing a letter inherently imbued with care. There's an element of vulnerability in laying one's thoughts bare in ink. One would consider how each individual letter could be representative of his inner monologue. Editor: Yes, and it emphasizes the fragility of connection too. A single sheet of paper bearing potentially crucial emotions or important information. It could be torn, lost, or misinterpreted. All such physical pieces of correspondence exist under the premonition of such damage. Curator: Ultimately, what strikes me most is the accessibility. Here we have a window into Ket's personal life and the emotional cadence of the exchange of inner information with his dear associate or friend. The continuity of correspondence here is paramount in order for emotional expression. Editor: I'm struck by the way the material imperfections become integral to the art's message. The uneven ink, the slight creases in the paper… it all contributes to this very lived-in sense of time and place.