Briefkaart aan Philip Zilcken Possibly 1918

This postcard to Philip Zilcken was made by Sara Hense, and it shows the way that even ephemeral materials like paper can take on new meaning with the addition of ink. I love the way the stamp, the postmark, and the handwriting all collide on the surface, creating an almost abstract composition. The smudged ink and faded colors give the postcard a sense of history and time passing, like a half-remembered dream. The script is elegant and flowing, but also a little messy and imperfect. Look closely at the loops and swirls of the letters, and how they interact with the lines of the postal stamp. It’s as if Hense is inviting us to slow down and appreciate the beauty and fragility of everyday life. Hense was a contemporary of artists like James Whistler, who also found beauty in the mundane. And just as in Whistler's work, there's a subtle poetry in Hense's approach to such a simple piece of stationary. It's a reminder that art doesn't always have to be grand or monumental; it can also be found in the small, fleeting moments of our lives.