Postcard Collective
Represented by Nic Umbs
Global Collective
To send a postcard in the Digital Age is a simple yet grossly underestimated gesture. It is an acknowledgment that other people exist in the physical universe; what is more, a postcard expresses a desire to reach out and connect with other individuals, no matter how great the distance might be between sender and recipient. The physicality of such an object – hand-scribbled notes, clumsily placed postage stamps, damage incurred in shipment – carries a rich narrative and establishes a profound, interpersonal connection that simply cannot exist in cyberspace.
Selected postcards within the exhibition showcase part of the variety of works that have been exchanged in the 11 years since the Collective’s creation. Works were selected by members of the Collective as a representative sample of the Collective’s international nature, and the diversity of artistic mediums and ideas exchanged between participants.
As members of the Postcard Collective, we find many forms of value in making postcards for each other. They provide us with a new audience for our work; they challenge us to think differently about our studio practice; they serve as an opportunity to test new ideas and, in turn, inform our artistic endeavors outside of the Collective. While we continue to participate in the Postcard Collective for different reasons, we are all driven by an undeniable human need to connect with others and stretch the limits of our creativity.
Selected postcards within the exhibition showcase part of the variety of works that have been exchanged in the 11 years since the Collective’s creation. Works were selected by members of the Collective as a representative sample of the Collective’s international nature, and the diversity of artistic mediums and ideas exchanged between participants.
As members of the Postcard Collective, we find many forms of value in making postcards for each other. They provide us with a new audience for our work; they challenge us to think differently about our studio practice; they serve as an opportunity to test new ideas and, in turn, inform our artistic endeavors outside of the Collective. While we continue to participate in the Postcard Collective for different reasons, we are all driven by an undeniable human need to connect with others and stretch the limits of our creativity.
Participating Artists: Saskia Baden, Hannah Barnes, Judith Baumann, Allan Bealy, Laurie Blakeslee, Monica Church, Alina Cristea, Rachel England, Mary Furlong, Alex Grant, Matthew Scott Gualco, Camden Hardy, Andrea Hempstead, Alaina Hickman, Tao Ho, Chintia Kirana, Allyson Klutenkamper, Epiphany Knedler, James Luckett, Daniel Marchand, Alexandra Regina Morales, Allen Morris, Amelia Morris, Stephanie Obernesser, Maria Daniela Quiros, Billy Renkl, Jacinda Russell, Christine Scheer, Nikki Soppelsa, Leah Swenson, Stephen Tomasko, Tina Tryforos, Javier Ucles, Jess Voas, Tim Walker, Jin Zhu
about the representative artist
![]()
Nic Umbs is a photographer and educator who became a member of the Postcard Collective in 2019. He was drawn to the Collective while studying for his MFA at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee by his love of small art artifacts and his interest in the connections generated by intimate exchanges. He has participated in six of the quarterly exchanges so far, sending out over 200 postcards. He has also assisted in the strengthening of the Collective’s network by broadening its reach and increasing communication between members.
interview
Nic Umbs is a photographer and educator who became a member of the Postcard Collective in 2019. He was drawn to the Collective while studying for his MFA at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee by his love of small art artifacts and his interest in the connections generated by intimate exchanges. He has participated in six of the quarterly exchanges so far, sending out over 200 postcards. He has also assisted in the strengthening of the Collective’s network by broadening its reach and increasing communication between members.
interview