Brief aan Philip Zilcken 1921

This letter to Philip Zilcken, was written by Rose Imel in Paris. It's on Grand Hotel Saint-Georges stationary, so you can imagine the sounds, smells, and feel of the place. I wonder if she wrote it in one sitting, or did she keep coming back to it, adding more as she thought of things? Just look at the cursive writing. Doesn't it remind you of a drawing? Rose made each letter with care. There's a rhythm, and I can see the movement of her hand. Her pen leaves tiny trails of ink, creating dark lines against the pale, lined paper. The text floats on the page, but it is also grounded by the rules of grammar and syntax. I wonder how Rose would respond to my paintings, and those of other artists working today. Each of us trying to express something unique, while participating in a conversation that started centuries ago. We're all just trying to figure it out, one brushstroke, or carefully written word, at a time. We make things with our bodies, and that's something special.