Aanleg van de Lawaspoorweg in Suriname 1903 - 1912

This sketchbook was made by Jacob Evert Wesenhagen, sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century, presumably in Suriname. I love how the binding of the sketchbook is visible, hinting at the many layers of images and ideas held within, and emphasizing artmaking as a process. The texture and color of the cover is something else. The mottled, khaki green is almost camouflage. The surface is tactile, like it's absorbed years of touch and atmosphere. Look closely, and you'll notice these fine, meandering lines, almost like tiny rivers etched into the surface. Do they map the humidity of Suriname, or just the wear and tear of time? It reminds me of some of the sketchbooks of Van Gogh – but really any artist who allows us to peek into their artistic process. Art is never a straight line, more like a conversation, a back-and-forth between the artist, the materials, and the world. It embraces ambiguity, inviting endless interpretations rather than fixed meanings.