Briefkaart aan Andries Bonger before 1916

This postcard to Andries Bonger by Emile Bernard is made with ink on paper. The marks build up from left to right, like the artist is having a conversation. You can feel the hand pressing firmly on the paper. I love that the artist took the time to express their thoughts and feelings. Maybe they were reflecting on their life, their art, or their relationships with others. I can imagine them sitting at a table, lost in thought, the pen moving almost on its own. The artist and the work are one. This gesture, this act of mark-making, becomes a form of meditation, a way of understanding the world. It is intimate and raw, and it connects me to the artist's experience. It reminds me that artists are constantly building on each other’s ideas, through the simple act of conversation, letter writing, or, indeed, mark-making. I think of Twombly, or Cy Dear, what a nice thought.