Ex libris van Eldina Aldegonda Hoogenraad 1948

This is an Ex libris of Eldina Aldegonda Hoogenraad, and like many prints, it was made with ink on paper. Look at this tiny world, this black and white universe. The artist uses these simple materials to create a space of knowledge and power. I love the way that everything is so precise and delicate here. It reminds me of making a monotype, where one wrong move can ruin the whole thing. Every line, every shape had to be exact. There's a building at the center, surrounded by all kinds of decorative swirls and initials. In general, I love how art can be both really careful and controlled, and totally free and imaginative at the same time. I find it fascinating how artists use these constraints and expectations to make something totally new. If I had to compare this piece to another artist, I would mention the work of someone like Hilla Becher, with her black and white photographs of industrial buildings, which combine clean formal restraint with a deep engagement with history.