Twee kussende stellen 1891 - 1941

Leo Gestel made this drawing of two kissing figures on paper, we don't know when. But when I look at it I can see the artist’s hand moving across the page. It's almost like a dance—a back-and-forth, a give-and-take between what he’s seeing and what he’s feeling. The pencil lines are tentative, searching. You can see where he’s gone over the same area again and again, trying to capture the essence of the moment. It’s like he’s feeling his way through the dark, trying to find a form that will hold the weight of his emotions. Maybe he’s thinking about the way love transforms us, makes us see the world in a new light? Gestel’s work reminds me of other artists who use drawing as a way of thinking—like Philip Guston, maybe. They all seem to be in conversation with each other across time, inspiring one another to keep pushing the boundaries of what painting can be. It reminds us that making art is an ongoing process of discovery, of embracing ambiguity and uncertainty, of allowing for multiple interpretations and meanings.