blank 1864 - 1941

Editor: We're looking at "Blank" by Niels Larsen Stevns, likely made between 1864 and 1941, created with drawing, watercolors, paper, coloured pencil, and underpainting, and held at the SMK - Statens Museum for Kunst. The open pages are so stark, yet the aged paper hints at stories untold. How do you interpret this work? Curator: Well, "Blank" really makes one consider the museum as an institution. What are we archiving and *why*? A blank page signifies potential, but within the historical context of artistic creation, its inclusion begs the question: is the *idea* of art becoming more valuable than its execution? Editor: That's a really interesting point! It feels almost subversive, doesn’t it? Like it's challenging the traditional purpose of art in society. Curator: Precisely! Think about the burgeoning art market of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The social and political upheaval created space for questioning conventions. The museum then must navigate a tension – preserving established norms while simultaneously reflecting societal shifts and challenging assumptions about the value of "art." What is this object *doing* by its inclusion? Editor: It's like the museum is legitimizing a space for potential. I initially saw it as an empty piece but you’ve shown it can mean a criticism of art culture, or the support of new avenues. Thank you for opening my eyes. Curator: And thank you for seeing the radical potential of an empty space; you will go far in this field!