Brief aan Philip Zilcken Possibly 1903 - 1924

Curator: Looking at Delzant's letter to Philip Zilcken, created sometime between 1903 and 1924, one cannot separate the means of communication, the humble letter, from its intent. Editor: This piece is captivating in its intimacy. It’s on paper, with delicate, flowing handwriting—almost like a personal sketchbook entry, yet a formal letter too. What can we read into it? Curator: First consider the process. Writing, at the turn of the century, involved labor: creating ink, careful penmanship, waiting for responses. A letter like this would be an event, a carefully considered material object, and part of a wider discourse. This physical engagement shaped not just its content but also the relationship between the writer and recipient, elevating, if you will, this message. Editor: So, the very materiality and the effort involved shaped the communication itself? Curator: Absolutely! It challenges our quick digital communications now. Delzant likely chose this method to express himself, in a way typing on a keyboard could not. Think of the selection of the paper, the careful strokes of the pen… they all become a part of the message itself. Do you see how it transforms personal communication into almost a curated experience? Editor: I see it now—it elevates the ordinary. Looking at how Delzant made and shared it reframes it completely. Curator: Exactly! This is a lesson on considering how every brushstroke, tool choice, and production process enriches art. Editor: Fascinating! I never would have considered it in such a concrete, process-oriented light. Thank you for enlightening me!