Birthday Nicole Krauss

Today is Nicole Krauss’ birthday. As part of the When I Give, I Give Myself exhibition she responded to a letter by Vincent van Gogh on the fear for the blank canvas, and, as she writes back ‘also, on a larger scale, of the “infinitely meaningless, discouraging, dispiriting blank side” that life itself always turns toward us, and which can only be countered when a person “steps in and does something,” when he “breaks” or “violates.”’ You can listen and read about what this means to her personally in her letter to Van Gogh in the Van Gogh Museum. The letter is also published in the accompanying catalogue for sale in the museum shop.