Dublin vrouwen 1969

Dirkje Kuik made this tiny etching, Dublin vrouwen, or Dublin women, using ink on paper. There are many different ways of seeing; here, the artist has used etching to create a world of delicate lines and shades of grey. I can only imagine Kuik bent over a plate, scratching away at its surface, trying to make an image appear, and letting the medium suggest what to do. The network of lines maps the human form; the image offers ghostly traces of the crowd of women who inspired it. I like to think about how each stroke is like a breath, an extension of the body. With each gesture, feeling, intention, and meaning are communicated. Kuik’s use of etching reminds me of other artists who capture fleeting moments through an intimate relationship with their materials. Ultimately, these works remind us that artists are in an ongoing conversation across time, constantly inspiring one another's creativity.