Kaart van Zeeland, 1940 c. 1947

This is ‘Kaart van Zeeland,’ or, ‘Map of Zeeland,’ created by Studio Certo in 1940. I love how the artist rendered the map with such detail. Imagine Studio Certo, carefully plotting each little town with a delicate brush. The coastlines are a gentle beige, contrasting with the calming blue of the sea. I wonder what it was like to live in Zeeland at that time, with the world on the brink of war. Did they feel a sense of vulnerability, being so close to the water? The map is more than just a geographical guide, it’s a conversation about the connection between land, people, and history. It reminds me of the work of Alfred Jensen who also used mapping to create patterns. It seems like artists are always building on one another's ideas, creating a community across time and place. We can never really know for sure what an artwork is about, but that’s the best part. It’s open to interpretation, just like life.