De brug 1928

Dick Ket’s woodcut print presents a bridge, a powerful symbol in human culture. The bridge is an archetypal motif representing transition and connection; it appears in myths and art across civilizations, from the Pontifex Maximus, the high priest of ancient Rome, literally a ‘bridge-maker,’ to countless symbolic crossings in literature and art. This architectural element, depicted in stark black and white, signifies more than just a physical span over water. Think of the ‘bridge of sighs’ in Venice, connecting a prison to the interrogation rooms in the Doge's Palace, or even the rainbow bridge in Norse mythology, linking Midgard, the world of mortals, to Asgard, the realm of the gods. Bridges are thresholds, charged with the human desire to overcome barriers, both tangible and intangible. Here, Ket invites us to contemplate the cyclical journey of symbols, reminding us that what appears modern often carries echoes of the past, resonating with our collective memory.