Artist Turns Denmark's Final Letters Into Stunning Floral Art Tribute

Gillian Taylor, an artist from Devon, is creating a unique art installation using the final letters sent through Denmark's historic postal service. For over 400 years, Denmark's national postal service, PostNord, delivered letters across the country. However, in December, PostNord stopped delivering letters due to a significant drop in demand, and now only handles parcels. To mark the end of this era, Gillian invited people from all over Denmark to send her letters and postcards one last time. She is using these final pieces of mail to create an art installation called 'Med Venlig Hilsen,' which means 'With Kind Regards' in English. This artwork will be displayed at the Thelma Hulbert Gallery in Honiton, Devon, in May.

Gillian has a personal connection to Denmark, having worked in Copenhagen in the past. She explained that the end of letter delivery and the removal of the iconic red post boxes felt like a significant moment in history. She wanted to capture this change through her art. Gillian has previously worked with letters in her art, including love letters from World War Two and large installations made from paper poppies. For this project, she asked people to write to her in either Danish or English. The letters she received covered a wide range of topics. One person shared memories of her mother reading letters aloud during her childhood. Gillian also received photographs, greeting cards, and even a map showing the locations of the last three post boxes in a particular area.

In addition to the letters sent to her, Gillian received permission from the Royal Danish Library to use copies of letters written by famous Danes, including Hans Christian Andersen, the author of beloved fairy tales like 'The Little Mermaid' and 'The Ugly Duckling. ' Gillian set up a PO Box to collect the letters. Karen Elberg, one of the people who wrote to Gillian, said it felt strange to write a letter after 20 years. She noted that letters allow people to express things they might not share in an email, and waiting for a reply takes much longer. PostNord explained that Denmark is now one of the most digitalized countries in the world, with most people preferring to communicate through email or phone apps. Isabella Beck Jørgensen from PostNord said that the number of letters sent in Denmark has been declining for 25 years. She described Gillian's project as a lovely artistic idea and said it would be emotional and important for Danish children who never experienced sending or receiving letters. Gillian's installation will feature daisies cut out from the letters, which will be suspended from the ceiling. The daisy is Denmark's national flower. Gillian hopes to eventually display her work in Copenhagen as well.