Brief aan Joop Sjollema 1910 - 1938

This note to Joop Sjollema, by Richard Nicolaüs Roland Holst, is a whisper from another time. The looped cursive feels both casual and considered. Holst approaches writing as a process, like sketching, where thoughts flow directly onto the page. The pale ink on aged paper emphasizes the ephemeral nature of communication. Look at the deliberate slant of the letters – a dance of control and spontaneity. The writer's hand moves with a rhythm that almost mimics breathing. The texture of the paper is smooth, offering little resistance to the pen. The words are laid out like a personal map, each stroke guiding us through the writer’s thoughts. This note reminds me of Cy Twombly's work, where writing becomes drawing, blurring the line between language and gesture. Art is an ongoing conversation, and this note is a quiet but vital part of it, inviting us to reflect on the simple, beautiful act of reaching out to another person.