Serimpi 1919

This is ‘Serimpi,’ a print by Johannes Frederik Engelbert ten Klooster, probably made with a wood block. The dramatic black and white contrast pulls you right in, doesn't it? I can imagine Ten Klooster carefully carving away at the wood, thinking about light and shadow. It must have been a real meditation on form. The figure looks like she's caught between worlds, a dancer maybe, surrounded by stylized plants. Everything is so lush and patterned, it reminds me a bit of Matisse but with a Javanese twist. The fan she’s holding is so interesting. It's almost like another character in the scene, isn't it? What do you think it represents? Protection? Camouflage? Artists are always in conversation with each other, across time and place. Maybe Ten Klooster was inspired by the Balinese dancers he saw, or maybe he was just dreaming up his own version of paradise. It’s a wonderful image. It captures a moment of stillness.