Briefkaart aan Philip Zilcken

This postcard to Philip Zilcken was made by Frans Smissaert, likely with ink on paper, though I can almost smell the paper and ink from here. Look at the way the lines of text, written with such deliberation, create their own abstract composition across the card. Each word is a little gesture, full of care and intention. The stamp and postal markings add another layer. The circles and stars clash, while also mirroring each other, creating a sense of rhythm. The density of the ink varies, with some areas darker and more defined than others, giving the piece a tactile quality. It's like a dance of dark and light, solid and fluid, across this humble surface. It reminds me of Cy Twombly's scribbled paintings, where writing becomes drawing, and meaning dissolves into pure form. In both cases, the act of mark-making becomes a way of thinking, feeling, and experiencing the world. The postcard embraces the ambiguity of communication, reminding us that art is always an ongoing conversation.