Expanded Artist Statement:

We live in a modern world filled with the internet, smartphones, and instantaneous communication. Yet, despite this technology, I find myself longing for the days when people relied on letters. To write a letter is to put a piece of your heart on paper, a practice that seems lost in today's fast-paced age. People have forgotten how to express themselves through written words. Letters lack the immediacy of a split-second response, emojis, gifs, or memes, but they possess a unique quality: they are imbued with the sender's essence.

Receiving a letter is akin to receiving a part of the sender, shipped across distances to be with you. Letters are made to be cherished, re-read until the pages are worn and the corners creased. I fear that many will never experience the joy of receiving a letter. Inspired by this sentiment, I created an interactive installation about the dying art of letter writing.

This first piece is called “A Hundred Years of Stories.” It consists of two strong arches from which hundreds of handmade letters and vintage postcards, some dating back to the early 1900s, hang, forming a colorful cove. In the middle of the piece sits a writing desk where visitors are invited to sit and write their own letters, inspired by the stories around them.

I urge visitors to touch, feel, and interact with the piece. Read the stories, feel the paper, and appreciate the variety of handwriting and writing styles. As you interact with the piece, remember that hundreds of people from all walks of life and parts of the world wrote these letters. Realize that by reading their stories, you gain an intimate glimpse into their world as they saw it at that moment.

Consider that some of these authors may have departed this world. The letter you hold is a tangible piece of its author, even if that person is no longer here. These letters contain not just words, but pieces of the authors' hearts.