Brief aan Philip Zilcken Possibly 1924 - 1928

Editor: This is "Brief aan Philip Zilcken," potentially created between 1924 and 1928 by Tom W. van Oss. It's an ink drawing on paper, resembling a handwritten letter. The flowing script gives it a very personal and intimate feel, like you're looking at someone's private thoughts. What do you see in this piece? Curator: What immediately strikes me is the act of communication itself. Before email, before even widespread telephone use, personal letters held immense social and political power. Who wrote this, and to whom? The letter begins "Hooggeachte Heer Zilcken"—"Highly esteemed Mister Zilcken"—so there’s an acknowledgement of social hierarchy. What could their relationship have been? The handwriting becomes a visible expression of intimacy, of a specific relationship between the sender and receiver. Editor: So the form itself, the letter, carries meaning. I hadn’t considered the power dynamics inherent in that kind of correspondence. Curator: Exactly. Letters like these acted as vital instruments in constructing both public and private spheres, shaping discussions about identity, gender and class. Consider, too, the act of carefully crafting each word, physically writing. This stands in stark contrast to the ephemeral nature of digital communication today. How does it make you reflect on communication, both today and a century ago? Editor: It really does highlight how much intention went into written communication then, and the social implications woven into something as simple as a letter. I never thought about handwriting having inherent meaning beyond the words themselves. Curator: It speaks volumes about our relationship with the written word, and how modes of communication shape how we interact and shape culture. Editor: This gives me a completely new way of thinking about the piece and what art can do, too!