Schetsblad bij gedichten van François Villon 1961

Dirkje Kuik made this sketch sheet, which relates to poems by François Villon, using pen and brush with ink and watercolour. It appears to be a preparatory drawing for a series of prints. Kuik was a Dutch artist who lived through the Second World War, she used her art to protest against social injustice and inequality. Here, she makes reference to Villon, a controversial and rebellious figure from the 15th century. We can ask, what is the public role of this art? How are ideas about social justice being presented visually? What social conditions shaped Kuik’s artistic production? Was it self-consciously progressive and does it critique the institutions of art? To understand Kuik's work more deeply, you might want to research the context in which Kuik was working, looking for exhibition reviews and other materials that might reveal the artist’s intentions. Considering the social and institutional context of art helps us understand it better.