Brief aan Mien Cambier van Nooten Possibly 1940 - 1949

Curator: What immediately strikes me about this piece is the cascading effect of the handwritten text. It’s as though Dick Ket allowed his thoughts to tumble down the page. Editor: Ket's letter to Mien Cambier van Nooten, penned probably sometime in the 1940s using ink on paper, offers an intimate glimpse into his life during a tumultuous time. It’s held in the Rijksmuseum. Curator: Formally speaking, the varying pressure of the pen creates a rhythmic visual texture across the entire surface. Look at the contrast between the bolder strokes and the almost translucent, hairline connections between words. It evokes a sense of urgency and spontaneity. Editor: Absolutely. And situating this letter within its historical context, during the Second World War, transforms those aesthetic qualities into something much deeper. The act of writing itself becomes an act of resistance, a way of maintaining connection and sanity amidst chaos and isolation. The content refers to political figures such as Winston Churchill too. Curator: Interesting, how the dense, almost impenetrable wall of text also paradoxically invites you in, daring you to decipher its secrets. It's a closed but beckoning system, pushing the boundaries of the tradition. Editor: Intimism feels like the right thread, with Ket offering vulnerability through a personalized form, a private moment shared and preserved for years beyond his life. The everyday act of corresponding rendered as both document and a statement. Curator: I see it too – it really emphasizes how even the simplest materials can communicate multifaceted ideas. Ket uses pen and ink, the tools are just ordinary, and with them, he conveys emotion so skillfully. Editor: It definitely gives pause. Art exists even, and especially, in the mundane moments of everyday existence. Curator: The level of care afforded the lettering as expressive marks and symbolic information really shines. Editor: A poignant reminder of human connection in times of crisis.