Briefkaart aan Philip Zilcken Possibly 1918

This Briefkaart aan Philip Zilcken by N.J. Singels is a small piece of paper, a humble messenger, but it speaks volumes. The postmark, a dark, circular stamp, anchors the card to a specific moment. You can almost hear the clink of the stamper, the whoosh of the mailbag. Look at the handwriting, faded grey against the aged card. See how the letters loop and slant, each stroke a tiny dance, a little gesture. The address, neatly written, yet personal. It's a physical connection to a specific person, and like the best drawings, it’s the personal connection that stands out. This card reminds me that art is all about communication and about these individual and sometimes almost secret and obscure gestures. You could spend days looking at Cy Twombly’s mark-making, but I feel as though the same sense of touch, movement, and personality is here. As an artist, these humble pieces remind me to focus on the human aspect of art.