Blank 1864 - 1941

Editor: So here we have Niels Larsen Stevns' "Blank," made sometime between 1864 and 1941, using watercolor, ink, and colored pencil on paper. The blankness is definitely what strikes me first, obviously! It’s really just…pages of a book. I’m wondering, what do you see in its materiality and how the artist even considered it art? Curator: The seeming simplicity is deceptive. This object compels us to consider the labor inherent in the creation of paper, the grinding of pigments for the watercolors, inks, and pencils. Consider also the bookbinding process. Even “blankness” requires immense material and effort. How does viewing this, acknowledging its materiality, challenge the idea of artistic skill needing to produce recognizable imagery? Editor: That’s an interesting way to look at it. So, are you saying that the “art” here is in highlighting the often-overlooked processes of creating the materials themselves? Curator: Precisely! And let’s consider its display in a museum. How does positioning something like this within a space dedicated to ‘art’ affect our perception and consumption of what art can be? Is it about challenging elitism by showcasing materials typically deemed ‘lesser’ than oil on canvas or marble? Editor: So it's not about the finished product, but about making us aware of the production line that all art relies on. Kind of democratizing, I guess. I never considered that! Curator: Exactly! Stevns makes us conscious of how objects come to be and asks us to rethink what confers value and artistic merit. Editor: Well, this definitely changed my view of “Blank.” I went from thinking, “what’s the point?” to really appreciating the underlying statement about labor and value in art production. Thank you for that!