Brief aan Philip Zilcken 1867 - 1913

Curator: This is "Brief aan Philip Zilcken" by Darío de Regoyos y Valdés, created sometime between 1867 and 1913. It's rendered in ink on paper. Editor: There's something disarmingly candid about its raw form. It feels immediate, like a whispered conversation captured in graceful strokes. I imagine Regoyos, pen in hand, swiftly laying out his thoughts. Curator: The writing becomes its own kind of intimate portrait, doesn't it? It speaks volumes about the social networks underpinning modern art, literally writing itself into the record of exchange. Do you pick up on a hint of vulnerability? Editor: Precisely! The paper itself interests me – the sourcing of materials then, how these specific choices reveal what tools Regoyos had to work with, access to different quality inks and the importance that may play. Curator: He writes in French about an invitation to an exhibition in The Hague. Asking for more space, saying if not, he’ll just use the two meters squared he was offered. Editor: A peek into the haggling behind exhibition displays. He emphasizes Spain, promising to convey impressions of the place. We are granted intimate insight on the value that ‘foreignness’ holds in attracting viewership, appealing to those abroad. It brings into stark relief the market forces impacting decisions. Curator: You know, the letterhead – Espagne-Irun Buenavista – I'm sure would be ripe with meaning. What symbols and emotional attachments might it carry? Did it evoke a longing for home? Editor: Symbols for one another. These personal connections can’t be divorced from the creation. It's crucial to ask, “Who benefitted, materially, from the work involved in this communication?” Curator: This correspondence is like finding a skeleton key; holding a small tangible key unlocking a vast social machinery of modern art. It brings it to life in unexpected ways. Editor: A fantastic record of artistic engagement that speaks to our experience of our creative life. And for me, it underscores how intertwined even artistic practice can be from basic human need.