Notities 1908

Curator: Standing before us is “Notities,” created in 1908 by Carel Adolph Lion Cachet. It’s a mixed-media drawing, incorporating ink, paper, and what appears to be textile elements. Editor: My initial impression is of something incredibly intimate, like a private thought captured on paper. There's a certain fragility to it, enhanced by the faded ink and the visible texture of the paper. It feels very immediate, almost like peeking into a personal diary. Curator: Precisely. Cachet was deeply engaged in the visual language of modernism, particularly its lean towards abstraction and its dialogue with geometric forms. However, understanding Cachet necessitates looking at the socio-political conditions from which he emerged. He operated within a highly structured, colonial world that certainly informed both his aesthetic and worldview. Editor: Right, so the 'Notes' we see here would likely not be detached musings, but visual explorations within the contexts of commerce, and, ultimately power dynamics of that time? How do you see that colonial background reflected within even abstract sketches like this one? Curator: Well, Cachet worked extensively in design, including posters, packaging, and typography. Examining the shapes and forms can give us insights into how those structures reinforced the social norms. I wonder to what extent these explorations aimed to subvert—or simply reiterated—the existing power structures within the visual field itself. Even choices of medium—the very paper or inks employed—reveal a story of material extraction. Editor: Absolutely. This artwork allows us to discuss those material relationships. What looks like merely personal "Notes," when placed within the sphere of commercial and institutional history, start to speak volumes. By unpacking the life of “Notities” beyond face value, the political project comes alive and prompts questions. Curator: I agree. The work really invites us to re-examine the role of artists during complex historical shifts. Editor: Definitely. Thinking about all this sheds such a fresh perspective.