Boomkruinen c. 1944 - 1990

Curator: Ah, Kees Stoop's "Boomkruinen"—"Tree Crowns," a title which is beautifully to the point. We think this drawing dates sometime between 1944 and 1990, crafted with graphite on paper. Editor: Immediately I am struck by its almost spectral quality. The density of the graphite gives it such a shadowed appearance, the crowns appear to almost vanish into a gathering dusk. Curator: He clearly has an affection for the quiet corners of nature, doesn't he? It feels less about grand vistas and more about whispering secrets in the woods. What is really clever is the balance Stoop strikes; this is hyper-realistic while managing an incredible sense of openness. It invites introspection. Editor: Yes, Stoop masterfully employs the contrast between dense clusters of graphite and the lighter, untouched areas of the paper, drawing the eye into this dichotomy between dark and light. It reminds me of structuralist readings of similar compositions. You can sense an underlying theme here: growth, certainly, but also decay; ephemerality expressed through materiality. The very texture of the paper suggests a temporal fragility. Curator: Absolutely, there is a very direct quality, very few illusions in terms of its making and what its materials are, do you know what I mean? Its direct honesty connects to what Stoop wanted his works to become; a representation and reminder of human connection to the natural world. Editor: And on the other hand, its meticulous detail could represent that remove. In using graphite on paper, Stoop deliberately evokes not only a certain historicity, through this choice of media, but also through the deliberate rendering of these individual features it captures and emphasizes the naturalism he is striving for. Curator: It's curious to consider where exactly this particular set of trees sits. In the Veluwe, perhaps? Or somewhere closer to the coast, fighting the wind? Stoop leaves enough unsaid that we are invited to meet him, halfway, among the rustling leaves and dappled shade. Editor: In all, "Boomkruinen" remains a subtle yet potent illustration of both nature's raw beauty, and the very structures through which we understand its beauty in the first place. Curator: Nicely put, and perhaps just as an aside, a poignant reminder of our own connection to nature, its endless cycles.