Aardappelrooiers op het land 1925 - 1927

Leo Gestel made this drawing called "Aardappelrooiers op het land" with charcoal on paper, and it's like a quick sketch, capturing a moment of labour. You can see the charcoal smudges, the lines aren't perfect, and that's what gives it life. Gestel wasn’t trying to hide the process; he was embracing it. The strokes are pretty raw, pretty physical, really. Look at the way he's built up the figures; there's a real sense of weight and movement. And the charcoal gives it this gritty, earthy feel. Those dark lines really stick in my head, they almost seem to vibrate. It reminds me of Käthe Kollwitz, who also used drawing to capture the weight and seriousness of everyday life. Ultimately, art's about showing not telling, isn't it? It’s about opening up questions instead of closing them down.