Vrouw lopend over kiezels before 2002

Aat Verhoog made this print, “Vrouw lopend over kiezels”, or “Woman walking on pebbles”, with lithography. The color palette is muted; it's mostly warm browns and tans, and it gives me the sense of an artist who's thinking about the process. I love the way the ground is made up of tiny marks, a field of pebbles made with a single repeating motion. I’m always fascinated when I see how an artist uses a single gesture to create an entire world. Look at the woman’s skirt, how the shading creates the illusion of folds and movement with so little information. It seems so casual, but it's incredibly skillful. For me, this piece speaks to the Dutch tradition of landscape painting, but it’s also a uniquely personal vision. The lack of details invites us to project our own stories and feelings onto the scene. It's a quiet, contemplative work, which reminds me a bit of Agnes Martin.