Brief aan Philip Zilcken Possibly 1900 - 1918

Curator: This intriguing artifact is entitled "Brief aan Philip Zilcken" by Alidor Delzant, possibly created sometime between 1900 and 1918. We can see that the artwork's primary materials are ink and pen on paper. Editor: It feels incredibly intimate, doesn’t it? Like eavesdropping on a private thought, even though it's a formal letter, really. The paper has aged so well too. I wonder who Phillip Zilcken was! Curator: Zilcken was an artist, critic and writer. So Delzant's letter acts almost like a proto-art review, or maybe even a bit of artistic advice amongst peers. What do you make of that use of the art medium in relation to labor and commerce, perhaps? Editor: Absolutely. You know, seeing the handwriting gives it such a personal touch. Like you are right there as his intimate peer. Can you make out if he is complaining? Maybe asking for feedback on a project? There's a real texture here, not just visual, but textural in what Delzant wants from the recipient of the message. It's not just about the finished piece but the back-and-forth of creating it. Curator: Yes! We see, thanks to the transcription, that the text seems to address suggestions and editing the volume by the receiver - "Faites des changements ou des coupures" meaning, "Make changes or cuts" and "Corrigez la ière épreuve et veuilly tours", meaning "Correct the first proof, if you please", emphasizing the process of creation as a negotiation. Also interesting how he advises readers only address themselves to reading Delzant's volume, only if those readers are willing to indulge an "infinite sadness". That is heavy emotional labour being laid on its readership! Editor: And it all circles back to Zilcken—this artistic dialogue where the raw product and experience, both creative and emotional, come together in such a tangible way. It makes you wonder about their dynamic! Curator: I think what stays with me is this sense of an almost casual instruction—businesslike, but personal nonetheless. This makes art feel accessible. Editor: For me, it is more so that it feels alive - a vibrant conversation across time, inked onto a fragile piece of paper.