Drie eenden 1923

Editor: We're looking at "Drie eenden" or "Three Ducks," a 1923 woodcut print by Jo Bezaan, housed at the Rijksmuseum. The stark contrast of the black ink on what seems to be off-white paper creates this bold, graphic image. It feels very modern. What strikes you most about this piece? Curator: What’s most compelling is thinking about Bezaan's process. The physical act of carving away at the wood, the labor involved in producing each print. Look closely at the 'fan' background design behind the ducks: repetitive, demanding, highlighting a kind of modern, almost industrialized landscape through a hand-made method. What does the choice of woodcut as a medium tell us? Editor: It does bring a physical element, especially compared to more modern methods like lithography even existing at the time, so it must’ve been a very deliberate, stylistic choice? Curator: Precisely! The woodcut process, usually associated with folk art and printmaking which can sometimes get looked down upon, subverts those conventional hierarchies and places "craft" firmly into the realm of fine art and cultural significance. Think of it as a resistance against purely industrialized forms of artistic production gaining speed. Editor: That tension makes so much sense. Seeing it as this almost subtle but effective critique using craft in the mainstream artistic world… What do you think she was communicating with these ducks? Curator: I’m more interested in how Bezaan made you consider that idea of the ducks’ importance versus focusing almost exclusively on production, labour, and historical placement which speaks volumes! That really brings the duck theme to life! Editor: I now appreciate the ducks, as they now stand as not the image, but instead an emblem of Bezaan’s material choices. It provides the social and political contexts to add a depth previously unnoticed, thank you. Curator: A perfect illustration of how understanding materiality opens up entirely new interpretive avenues.