New Yorker Barton Benes saved thousands of letters written in the ’70s by his Aunt Evelyn, a Florida widow and confirmed crank. Now, two decades and an epidemic later, he mixes her words with his images to make art that says “Live!” by the example of someone who, sadly, did not.

NUDISM

I THINK THAT MY HUSBAND’S NUDISM
WAS REALLY EXHIBITIONISM.
IT WAS ALL MUSCLES AND NO FAT.
AND HE FELT THAT WAS THE WAY
TO TURN ME ON.
BUT I GOT SO USED TO IT
THAT IT DIDN’T.