Brief aan Mien Cambier van Nooten Possibly 1938 - 1939

Curator: Welcome. Today, we're looking at "Brief aan Mien Cambier van Nooten," a drawing in ink on paper by Dick Ket, possibly created between 1938 and 1939. It's held in the Rijksmuseum collection. Editor: My first thought? Wow, that's a lot of script! It's like an ocean of words, a secret language. What kind of vibe does this radiate for you? Curator: As a piece of correspondence, the artwork is quite remarkable, of course. Ket's delicate penmanship, densely packed onto the paper, speaks volumes about letter writing practices during a period when social circles relied heavily on it for sharing personal reflections. Also the tone hints at intimacy and intellectual exchange. Editor: Intimacy for sure! You can sense him pouring his thoughts directly onto the page. It almost feels intrusive, like we’re reading something we shouldn’t! I mean, I can't read the Dutch anyway. Curator: That density mirrors the historical circumstances, doesn’t it? Limited materials in a time of pre-war anxiety, perhaps? Paper wasn't cheap, I can attest! The choice of materials themselves becomes significant. Editor: Yes, very much so. All the swirling curves and almost frantic strokes show he had so much to say, a sense of urgency. It is deeply human and it seems to go against art history standards. Is it just a simple "artifact?" Curator: It's a document but equally important an artistic rendering, that holds unique aesthetic properties to other of Dick Ket works in general. Its presence in the museum collection serves a dual purpose: as a glimpse into the artist's personal life and also into the art form he created as his "self". Editor: Mmm, fair. For me, it triggers all sorts of stories and assumptions about him... mostly centered around passion and hidden truths! Curator: We're inevitably drawn to decode, translate, reconstruct. I wonder, what elements do you imagine future scholars finding most intriguing about "Brief aan Mien Cambier van Nooten"? Editor: I would imagine something different in the personal sphere will always stand out. Thanks to the curators's efforts that help keep artwork's purpose so relevant. Curator: Exactly. Hopefully these new encounters enhance one's perspective by fostering continued art appreciation.