Blank 1864 - 1941

Here, we have what seems to be a blank book, made by Niels Larsen Stevns. Looking at this book as an artwork, it’s all about the possibilities. Each empty page is a chance, a new beginning, like a painter's fresh canvas. The slight yellowing around the edges of the paper tells a story of time passing, of moments waiting to be filled. Think about the texture of the page, smooth but with a bit of tooth. Imagine the feel of a pen or pencil moving across it. Notice the tight binding with the dark leather cover, and the worn edges of the paper, the way the pages fan out, slightly uneven. It all speaks to the physicality of making, the beauty of simple materials coming together. Like Agnes Martin's minimalist canvases, this blank book isn't empty at all. It's full of potential, asking us to think about what we bring to it. Art isn't just about what's there, but what it inspires us to imagine.