Sterrenbeeld tweelingen 1880 - 1946

Henri van der Stok made this print called Sterrenbeeld tweelingen, or Gemini Zodiac Sign, at some point in his career. It's all about the graphic punch of black and white, and I love the way he’s thinking through the process of image-making. The thing I’m drawn to here is the line, the clarity of it, and the way he’s built up these wild, almost Art Deco forms with it. Look at how the pattern of waves in the bottom left repeats as the patterned armour of the Gemini figures, then again as the manes of the horses. It’s clever, right? That repetition gives it a rhythm and a sense of movement, like everything is connected, flowing together. You can see a dialogue with someone like MC Escher, but Van der Stok brings a unique voice to the conversation through his bold simplification of form. Ultimately, art is about exchange and the constant evolution of ideas over time.