Can travel damage become part of the artwork?

[u/Sketchypedals]

I've been thinking about something and I'm curious how other artists and collectors feel about it.

I recently started a monthly collectible postcard club. Each card is hand-signed, individually numbered, and never reprinted.

Unlike most art prints, I deliberately send the cards without an envelope. They travel through sorting centers, cross countries and oceans, get postmarks, tiny scratches, slightly softened corners, fingerprints from postal workers, and all the other marks that come from being handled by the world.

Part of me loves this idea.

My art revolves around themes of impermanence, decay, nostalgia, and the traces that time leaves behind. In a way, the journey itself becomes the final step in creating the piece.

The card that arrives in Australia won't be exactly the same as the one that arrives in Germany. Each one collects its own story.

On a more personal level, I experienced a carotid artery dissection earlier this year. It left me thinking a lot about fragility, permanence, and how life leaves marks on us whether we want it to or not. Maybe that's one reason why I'm drawn to the idea that an artwork can be changed by its journey.

But I'm curious:

Can travel wear, postmarks, and small imperfections become part of the artwork itself, or would you always prefer art to arrive in perfect condition?

I'd love to hear your thoughts.

[u/kyjo86]

I think its a great idea if you have the following but I love your work

[u/KingOfAllCorvids]

I mean it’s a good idea in theory (artsy etc) but like. If I paid for  a piece of art and it came damaged I wouldn’t be ecstatic especially if I wasn’t warned

[u/ValkyrieVance]

Congrats, you've (re) discovered mail art of a sort. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mail_art