Broek van zaalwachtersuniform van het Rijksmuseum 1976

These trousers, designed as part of the Rijksmuseum guard's uniform by Kattenburg-Bodenheim, are about shape and form. They remind me that artmaking is always a process of decisions. Look at the way the fabric falls. There's a tension between the flat, almost graphic quality of the trousers, and the subtle three-dimensionality suggested by the folds and creases. The color, a deep, solid black, absorbs the light and allows the shape to come forward. Note the way the light catches the pocket and the creases, creating a sense of depth and volume. It’s about the little moments of detail that create the overall effect. The trousers made me think of Agnes Martin’s grids. Though minimal on the surface, they are imbued with so much emotion and humanity. This reminds us that an artwork's meaning is multiple and always open for reinterpretation.