Prentbriefkaart aan Andries Bonger before 1911

This postcard was sent by Emile Bernard to Andries Bonger, probably around 1909, and it’s written in ink, in French. The ink is faded and sort of scratchy - like charcoal almost – a real contrast to the flatness of the printed card it’s written on. Look at Bernard’s handwriting, the way the letters lean and loop. It’s not precious or perfect, but it has a definite rhythm, a kind of dancing energy. It reminds me that writing is also about mark-making, not just getting a message across. Each stroke of the pen is a little gesture. I love how the letters trail into each other, almost illegible in places. It reminds you that art is about feeling more than thinking. Think about the relationship between handwriting and drawing. Think Cy Twombly. And then think about the fact that some people can’t read handwriting at all. Is that a loss or just another way of seeing?