Nine Broken letters were written in broken English (Spanish being Elena’s mother tongue), but these works were also the result of Elena being physically and mentally broken after the event of 9/11. They were written during nine consecutive sleepless nights while she was displaced for 16 months from 125 Cedar St (Ground Zero

These letters take on and are influenced by her readings of Florentine Nights by Marina Tsvetayeva.

Letter #1, November 7th, At Night

Calligraphy on handmade abaca paper, 56” x 28-1/2” , Text by Elena del Rivero, Design by Kiki Bauer, Calligraphy by Karen Gorst

Photographs by Cathy Carver

Letter #2

Calligraphy on handmade abaca paper, 56” x 28-1/2” , Text by Elena del Rivero, Design by Kiki Bauer, Calligraphy by Karen Gorst

Photographs by Cathy Carver

Letter #3

Calligraphy on handmade abaca paper, 56” x 28-1/2” , Text by Elena del Rivero, Design by Kiki Bauer, Calligraphy by Karen Gorst

Photographs by Cathy Carver

Letter #4

Calligraphy on handmade abaca paper, 56” x 28-1/2” , Text by Elena del Rivero, Design by Kiki Bauer, Calligraphy by Karen Gorst

Photographs by Cathy Carver

Letter #5

Calligraphy on handmade abaca paper, 56” x 28-1/2” , Text by Elena del Rivero, Design by Kiki Bauer, Calligraphy by Karen Gorst

Photographs by Cathy Carver

Letter #6

Calligraphy on handmade abaca paper, 56” x 28-1/2” , Text by Elena del Rivero, Design by Kiki Bauer, Calligraphy by Karen Gorst

Photographs by Cathy Carver

Letter #7

Calligraphy on handmade abaca paper, 56” x 28-1/2” , Text by Elena del Rivero, Design by Kiki Bauer, Calligraphy by Karen Gorst

Photographs by Cathy Carver

Letter #8

Calligraphy on handmade abaca paper, 56” x 28-1/2” , Text by Elena del Rivero, Design by Kiki Bauer, Calligraphy by Karen Gorst

Photographs by Cathy Carver

Letter #9

Calligraphy on handmade abaca paper, 56” x 28-1/2” , Text by Elena del Rivero, Design by Kiki Bauer, Calligraphy by Karen Gorst

Photographs by Cathy Carver