Blank 1937 - 1938

Editor: So, this is "Blank" by Niels Larsen Stevns, made between 1937 and 1938. It’s a drawing on paper and it’s part of the collection at the SMK. What really strikes me is its unassuming nature. It's literally blank, but somehow engaging. What can you make of it? Curator: Well, it’s interesting to consider what the “blankness” signifies in the context of artistic production. We see ruled paper; a utilitarian object. The materiality suggests a tool for accounting or perhaps just commonplace notations. How does seeing this drawing in the Statens Museum, impact its potential purpose or meaning? Editor: Hmm, that makes me think about the purpose of drawing. Is it about a finished artwork, or also about process? It looks like an open notebook – so is it a workspace? Curator: Exactly! The very act of Stevns using this as his medium, elevates what we could dismiss as "ephemera" to art. So the method, and its relationship with paper available for anyone, becomes interesting from a materialistic point of view. Also the apparent "absence" of drawing or art, reveals labor and artistic decision in of itself. Does the status of drawing change between 1930's and contemporary conceptual arts? Editor: That’s fascinating! Considering the date, it’s right before the Second World War. Maybe this blankness reflects a sense of uncertainty of the era. Curator: It could speak of this social and economical context and historical change. However, I feel like focusing too much on symbolism may obscure the true importance, namely the material and work. We do know that, because it’s a work by Stevns, the object got immediate capital, unlike anonymous ruled paper… Editor: True! Thinking about the paper, the tools and social impact certainly brings a new depth to a work I initially dismissed as, well, blank. Curator: Precisely. Material analysis lets us examine art from angles beyond traditional beauty or established meanings.