“When I arrived at CCN2 Grenoble in 2023 as an associate artist, in the magnificent, spacious studio overlooking the mountains, I found myself thinking about the artists who had passed through this space before and after me. I know some of them very well; others I know only by name or their face, or not at all…. I was struck by my lack of connection to them. I wanted to leave a little note of encouragement, a surprise, check in on them, or ask a question about something I’d seen in their work… But, swept up by a lack of time, the ease of social media, and my own cowardice, my thoughts about my coworkers end up as a “like” on a Facebook or Instagram page.

Drawing inspiration from the free-form, intimate, letters exchanged by members of Judson Church (Steve Paxton, Yvonne Rainer, Lucinda Childs, and others), and to counteract the lack of communication characteristic of the times we live in, I wanted to create a space to correspond with a small group of artists. The idea is to set aside a long period of time (at least three years) to exchange thoughts, get lost together, have fun, and share details about our creative processes, our artistic struggles, and our lives. These exchanges can be brief and spontaneous (like a postcard) or more carefully crafted (like a letter), but above all, they are handwritten and sent by mail from wherever we are writing.

The primary goal of this project is to foster openness and a shared experience through long-term exchange. In a second phase, and with the group’s consent, we plan to publish some or all of the correspondence.”

Ruth Childs