Voorwoord Possibly 1909

Kamisaka Sekka made this woodblock print called Voorwoord, or Preface, at an unknown date. Look closely and you’ll see elegant black calligraphy dancing across a soft cream surface. The strokes aren't just marks, they're full of feeling. You can see the movement of the brush, how it pauses, speeds up, and twists. The ink is applied thinly, allowing the texture of the paper to peek through. This gives it a subtle, almost ghostly quality. Notice the way the characters cluster and spread, creating rhythms that guide your eye across the surface. See how the line varies from thick to thin, creating a visual push and pull. The blank space is as important as the ink, it’s not just emptiness but a field of potential. This piece reminds me of Cy Twombly’s scrawls, and how both artists used gesture and mark making to create a language all their own. It's a beautiful reminder that art is about process, feeling, and the endless possibilities of expression.