Man laat een kruik zweven before 1934

F. Ockerse made this drawing using ink on paper, and what strikes me is the boldness of the lines – so decisive, like he wasn't afraid to commit. It’s like a stage set, isn't it? With the figures arranged just so, ready for a scene. Look at how the ink is used, sometimes thick and pooling, sometimes thin and scratchy. It reminds me that art is a conversation, a back-and-forth between the artist and the materials. The magic trick of the floating pot – or is it levitation? – wouldn't be possible without the artist’s trick of hand. The more I look at the way Ockerse renders this scene, the more I’m reminded of Edward Gorey and his darkly humorous sensibility. Both artists understood that a simple line could convey volumes. It’s this openness, this ambiguity, that makes the work so engaging.