Jorge Santana: VIP Postcards

Photography and travel have always been two of my main interests and hobbies. One of the everyday rituals for travelers during trips abroad was the purchase of postcards of exciting places and monuments and mail to friends and family.  Postcards have declined in popularity with the advent of smartphones and the internet.  Nowadays, you can snap a picture on your phone and send it immediately to family and friends or post it on a social media platform—no cost involved. Postcards are still around but seldom mailed.

Had famous people used this means to communicate with individuals in the past or even in contemporary times, what would they write? The postcard came into existence in the late 1800s with the advent of photography.

This collection of 24 postcards represents a satirical and tongue-in-cheek take on what famous or infamous people might have written on postcards they either sent or received. The images utilized are photographs from my travels to different countries.

A word of caution: Do not take these postcards as historical facts. A footnote is provided as a historical or cultural explanation to understand better what might have transpired between the sender and the postcard recipient.  There are connections and historical ties to the VIPs involved.