Brief aan Philip Zilcken Possibly 1918

This letter to Philip Zilcken by L. Berden is made with ink on paper. The dark ink contrasts dramatically with the pale surface of the page, creating a visual texture almost as palpable as brushstrokes in a painting. Look closely at the way the script leans and swirls, almost dancing across the page. It's easy to imagine Berden's hand moving across the paper, pressing down with varying degrees of pressure to create thick and thin lines that make a pattern of shadow and light. There’s real presence in the looping ascenders and descenders of the letters. Each word is a gesture, a mark of personality and intent. This letter reminds me of Cy Twombly's scribbled canvases. Both show us that art can be about process, about capturing the energy and movement of the hand and mind. What does it mean to leave a mark, to communicate, to be present? These are the questions Berden, Twombly, and many others ask us to consider.