Prentbriefkaart aan Philip Zilcken Possibly 1925 - 1927

Curator: This is a fascinating piece; it is a prentbriefkaart, or printed postcard, addressed to Philip Zilcken. We believe it was likely created sometime between 1925 and 1927 by the French artist Lya Berger. It's rendered in ink on paper. Editor: My first thought is that it’s such an intimate object, somehow. Seeing the handwritten note, the stamps, the layered postal marks – it's heavy with the past and the mechanics of how we used to connect. Curator: Precisely. Berger, as a French artist, would have had to rely on the postal service as her main link to other artists and people from across the world, in this case, possibly Zilcken in the Netherlands. And let's consider the materiality of the postcard itself. The quality of the paper, the specific ink used - these choices influenced its journey through the postal system. How was it made, who profited, and what messages of industrial production does it also carry? Editor: The history it contains extends beyond its surface. This wasn’t just a message; it was a public performance of connection. Who produced these postcards and what institutions validated them? The very act of sending implies a web of social relationships and institutional frameworks that enable and shape artistic communication. Also, let’s note the Pasteur stamp on the top-right; it’s more than just an artifact - it speaks of the time's cultural and political identity. Curator: And that tension between the mass-produced object and the unique, handwritten message interests me deeply. Is this a readymade object adapted through artistic labour into an even deeper conversation with the recipient? Editor: It highlights how socio-political systems become integrated with daily acts and forms of art and craft that shape our experience and interaction in the modern world. This ordinary object can speak volumes. Curator: Ultimately, this seemingly simple postcard offers a compelling glimpse into the artistic networks and the everyday processes that helped shape the flow of ideas and artworks in Europe in the early 20th century. Editor: Yes, examining something so personal reveals larger structural and cultural conditions around artistic practices during this historical moment. Thank you for sharing it.