Brief aan Mien Cambier van Nooten Possibly 1938

Dick Ket penned this letter to Mien Cambier van Nooten, its looping cursive script filling the page. The ink is dark, almost black, and the lines vary in thickness, revealing the pressure of the pen on the paper. The handwritten form allows us to imagine Ket’s hand moving across the page. Each stroke feels immediate, personal, like a direct connection to his thoughts. The density of the writing makes the act of reading feel like deciphering a puzzle. Certain words stand out, but the overall impression is of a continuous flow of thought and expression. The slant and rhythm of the letters create a kind of visual music, a counterpoint to the literal meaning of the words. Ket's letter reminds me of Cy Twombly’s scribbled paintings, which also blur the line between writing and drawing. Both artists embrace the imperfect, the spontaneous, reminding us that art is not about perfection, but about the messy, beautiful process of creation.