Kussend stel 1891 - 1941

Editor: So, here we have Leo Gestel's "Kussend stel," created sometime between 1891 and 1941. It’s a pencil drawing, currently residing here at the Rijksmuseum. There’s a vulnerability and intensity in their embrace; it feels like the world disappears around them. What layers of meaning do you see woven into this seemingly simple sketch? Curator: This work speaks volumes about intimacy within societal constraints. The tentative lines, the almost obscured faces… Gestel might be reflecting the anxieties and hidden expressions of queer relationships during a time when such affections were often stigmatized or suppressed. How does the incompleteness of the sketch play into that interpretation for you? Editor: That’s interesting. I hadn't immediately connected it to queer intimacy, but I can definitely see how the hidden faces and embrace could reflect a sense of needing to conceal affection. The raw quality almost makes it feel confessional. Curator: Exactly! The “unfinished” quality might also represent the fluid, unfixed nature of identity itself, particularly in contexts where fixed definitions are imposed. Consider the rise of sexology and the policing of desire happening concurrently. Is Gestel perhaps offering a space of resistance, of ambiguity? How does the materiality – pencil on paper – influence that reading? Editor: Using pencil, it’s a fragile medium. Perhaps symbolizing the precarious nature of marginalized relationships? I never considered art being so intertwined with social dynamics; it adds another dimension. Curator: Precisely. It invites us to ask, whose stories are told and whose are silenced? Looking at art through that lens can really amplify the silent dialogues within our shared history. Editor: Absolutely. It changes the way I view not only art but the world. Curator: Indeed. Let's carry this understanding with us as we explore further!