I wrote to Marco on aluminum foil on January 12, 2022, and put it in the mail. My hand stayed down in the foil with the words the entire time, and my face kept surfacing behind the sentences, so the letter slowly turned into a report on the experience of writing that same letter. I told him it felt like a selfie, but with words somehow. That’s still the phrase I’d use.
Then Marco got this in the mail, and opened the same sheet with none of me in it and all of himself instead. My handwriting stayed put. The reflection went to whoever happened to be holding the thing.
I shot photos and a video before it went out, which I’m glad about, because the foil version of a letter only exists while somebody holds it at a particular angle. Then I folded it, sealed the envelope, and let the post office take over from there.
The P.S. seemed necessary: no leftover chicken was included inside this foil. He should know.
Letter text (transcribed from the foil):
January 12, 2022
Marco,
This is a letter on aluminum foil. It’s kinda funny writing on a reflective surface, because you see your own hand and pen right INSIDE the writing surface.It feels like a selfie, but with words somehow. When you read this, you won’t see my hand reflecting, but you will see the words, and perhaps your own face behind my words.
This functions a lot like art. The viewer sees him/herself in the art.
If you ever want to write something thoughtful and with a lot of reflection, aluminum foil is the perfect paper to write on.
That’s all for now. Let’s mail this.
Matt Maldre
P.S. no leftover chicken is included inside this foil.
