Blad 105 uit Stamboek van de leerlingen der Koloniale School voor Meisjes en Vrouwen te 's-Gravenhage deel II (1930-1949) Possibly 1938

This page from a register, made by an anonymous hand sometime between 1930-1949, is filled with handwritten records using ink on paper. The density of information and the formal structure create a unique visual rhythm. It reminds me of the systematic approach of Hanne Darboven. Look at the script, the way the ink bleeds slightly into the paper, the careful yet imperfect execution. Each entry, a little world unto itself, a record of a person, their origins, and destination. The columns create a grid, but the handwritten entries resist this rigid structure, each signature has its own distinct flourish. The text appears to have been added over a period of time, and some of the ink is browner than other sections. The individual entries, like brushstrokes, combine to create a whole that is both informative and evocative. It’s a fascinating testament to the beauty and complexity found in simple, everyday forms. I see a relationship to the work of On Kawara. Both artists embrace repetition and systematic processes.