Notities 1905

Willem Cornelis Rip made this notebook page sometime around the turn of the century, using ink and graphite. It’s like an intimate glimpse into the artist’s mind, or a peek into the detritus of a painter's studio. I can imagine Rip bent over this page, the nib of his pen scratching across the surface as he jotted down thoughts, addresses and sketches, layering image over text over image. It reminds me of when I work on multiple paintings at once, each informing the other in a constant state of flux. I feel the push and pull between the different marks – the looping cursive script, the bold capital letters, and the geometric shapes of the business card. It’s all there, vibrating with the energy of the artist’s hand. Looking at this page, I wonder about the conversations Rip had with other artists. Because every stroke, every smudge, is part of an ongoing dialogue that echoes through time.