Brief aan Philip Zilcken Possibly 1911 - 1916

This is a letter written by Jenny Kamerlingh Onnes. The date at the top of the letter is 5 June. The looping script is dark, almost black, on a pale cream or white paper. I imagine her pen scratching across the page. We can almost imagine Jenny at her desk, thinking about what to say, trying to find the right words to communicate her thoughts. The slant of the letters, the way the lines curve and flow, it's like watching a dance unfold. I wonder if she paused between words, searching for the right turn of phrase, or if the words poured out of her in a rush. The letter reminds me that writing, like painting, is a physical act. It’s about the body moving through space and time, leaving a trace of its presence. And it's a conversation across time and space. The very act of looking at the letter means we're in dialogue with Jenny. It's a reminder of the ongoing conversation between artists, a conversation that stretches across generations and continents.