Bloem c. 1916 - 1945

Reijer Stolk made this pencil sketch called ‘Bloem,’ which is Dutch for ‘flower,’ sometime before 1945. The artist uses only a few simple lines to create a flower motif with some annotations, playing with the idea of light and dark. The sketch is light and airy, the flower shape created with a few strokes, the lines are very delicate and feel like they were made quickly. Look at the center of the flower; instead of a solid mass, it's just an empty square, which flattens the image. It reminds me that art is about a thinking process. The simplicity of the drawing feels very modern, and I think about the playfulness of someone like Joan Miró. Both artists share a similar appreciation for the absurd and an understanding that drawing can be a space for experimentation. Ultimately, ‘Bloem’ is a kind of visual poem, inviting us to look more closely at the world around us.