Hert before 1959

Curator: What we're looking at here is D. Middelhoek's "Hert," made before 1959 using ink on paper. Editor: The stark simplicity of lines against the paper's surface is quite striking. It almost feels like a diagram. What do you make of the artist’s choice to work with these basic materials? Curator: This piece, with its elemental nature, forces us to confront the very means of its creation. Look at the paper, the ink, the direct application. How does Middelhoek use these ordinary materials, available to pretty much anyone, and transform them into something we display in a museum? Editor: So, you’re suggesting that the value lies not just in the image, but in the act of creation using common materials? It sort of democratizes the art-making process. Curator: Precisely. We can analyze the labor invested in choosing the ink, preparing the paper, and executing the drawing. It pushes against the notion of art as divine inspiration and toward art as skilled labor. Think about who had access to what kind of materials at that time and why. Editor: It challenges the perception of art as precious or unattainable, almost highlighting its construction. Curator: And what’s intriguing is how those lines are made. Are they quick sketches or carefully considered strokes? The method carries a message. What kind of statement is Middelhoek making about labor when displaying the work using simple materials? Editor: That's really changed how I see it. Initially, it was an abstract image. Now, it's more about the act of its creation and the socioeconomic implications surrounding that. Thank you! Curator: Indeed! We are impelled to appreciate the skill and artistic choices employed to convert commonplace goods into something profound, even poetic.