Prentbriefkaart aan Henriette Wilhelmina van Baak en Philip Zilcken Possibly 1928

This postcard to Henriette Wilhelmina van Baak and Philip Zilcken was made in 1928 in Den Haag. I'm struck by the directness of the mark-making. It feels like a very immediate and personal mode of communication. The texture of the writing is really where it's at for me. Look at the loops and the way the ink bleeds into the paper. It’s like a physical embodiment of the words. You can imagine the writer’s hand moving across the surface, each stroke a little dance. The way they apply pressure, varying the line’s weight is really cool. There's a spontaneity and improvisation in the writing that feels so alive and honest. It reminds me a bit of Cy Twombly’s scrawls, the way he lets the hand lead the way, embracing chance and imperfection. Art isn't about perfection, it’s about exploring, questioning, and engaging with the world in all its messy complexity.