Blank 1902 - 1905

This sheet of paper was made by Niels Larsen Stevns, an artist born in 1864. At first glance, this paper, with its seemingly blank surface, evokes a sense of emptiness. Yet, like a tabula rasa, it is pregnant with potential, a void waiting to be filled with creative expression. The very materiality of the paper—its texture, its color—echoes the ancient use of papyrus and parchment, surfaces upon which civilizations have inscribed their myths, histories, and philosophies. The grid of lines faintly visible, reminds me of the structured order humanity tries to impose to contain our chaotic world. These lines are not merely physical; they represent a psychological framework, a set of constraints within which we strive to create meaning. Consider how Leonardo da Vinci used the blank page to explore the depths of human anatomy and engineer groundbreaking inventions, or how the Surrealists embraced the blank canvas as a portal to the subconscious, a space where dreams and desires could take form. This sheet is a reminder that from nothing, everything can arise.