Brief aan Jan Veth Possibly 1906 - 1909

This is a letter, made in 1906 by Cornelis Hofstede de Groot, and its marks are the pressed forms of typed words in ink on paper. In a way, every artwork begins with mark making, and here the artist is literally making his mark through a means of production. The letter is a window into the artist's process, his thoughts, and relationships. I wonder if the act of typing was frustrating or cathartic for him. The texture of the paper, the consistency of the ink, even the typeface all contribute to its feeling of history and intimacy. If you look closely you can see the smudges, corrections, and slight imperfections in the printing; these are traces of the artist's hand and mind at work. It makes you think about intention, accident, and the little things that make each work unique. The letter reminds me of the correspondence between Van Gogh and his brother Theo, in the sense that art is an ongoing conversation and exchange of ideas across time. It’s a reminder that art embraces ambiguity and multiple interpretations over fixed or definitive meanings.