Zelfportret: B-1-1, 1 mei Possibly 1942 - 1945

Editor: Here we have "Self-Portrait: B-1-1, 1 May" potentially created between 1942 and 1945 by Cor van Teeseling. It's a delicate pencil drawing. What strikes me most is its tentative quality, almost like a memory being gently coaxed onto paper. What do you see in this piece? Curator: The tentative quality you describe resonates deeply. Considering its creation during the Second World War, the lightness of the pencil work and the uncertain dating – "possibly 1942-1945" – speak volumes. Faces, particularly self-portraits, become powerful carriers of identity, resistance, and even defiance. What symbols do you recognize? Editor: Well, I suppose the date, “1 May” subtly evokes labor movements and solidarity, a possible undercurrent of resistance. But, I mostly see just a man's face. It feels very…stark. Curator: Stark, yes, but notice how the artist hasn't fully committed to firm lines. This incomplete representation isn’t a weakness; it's an invitation. In a time of immense upheaval, solid identities were shattered. This could symbolize an actively evolving identity amidst chaos. What might the avoidance of clear lines imply about personal safety and identity? Editor: I hadn't thought of it that way. So, it's less about a literal depiction and more about embodying the feeling of existing during that period. It's like the self is still being formed. Curator: Precisely. The absence becomes as significant as what is present. Think of religious icons, altered and defaced through history. It asks: What is the value of a portrait when identity is mutable? Editor: This has completely changed my perception of the piece. It’s no longer just a simple self-portrait but a reflection on the instability of identity itself. Curator: Exactly. And it’s a powerful testament to the endurance, the cultural memory that a seemingly simple image can evoke. I’ll never look at a pencil portrait the same way again.