Briefkaart aan Philip Zilcken Possibly 1913 - 1919

This vintage postcard to Philip Zilcken was sent by Barend van den Kieboom from Dordrecht, Netherlands. I imagine Kieboom holding the card, turning it over in his hands, maybe thinking about Zilcken, and then using a fountain pen to write, the ink bleeding a little into the paper. Kieboom carefully affixed a stamp and another square label featuring a stylized figure to the card. The label probably represents an advert or poster the artist designed for a Berlin-based poster collective. The figure stands within a frame of delicate flowers and geometric shapes, which gives the image a balance of organic and structural elements. I wonder what it was like to be Kieboom, a Dutch artist corresponding with another artist in Germany! The smudged postmarks and faded ink speak to the passage of time and the journey the card has undertaken. It serves as a reminder of the many unseen hands that have touched and delivered it to its destination, then kept as an artefact. This small piece of paper embodies a moment in time, connecting people and places through the simple act of communication.