Giant Whirlpool of the Mail Art Wave

For quite a few years I have been faithfully blogging wonderful mail art I receive.  I made lots of mail art too. Sometimes when I get a pile of mail art and don't manage to blog it for a little while, I can feel as if I am being swept away in a mail art wave. I think this is a positive idea, though.

Unknow artist
reproduction Sticker Dude

design: theo nelson
text: The Sticker Dude

Notice the stickers and stamps! Wonderful!

Stickers and stamps on back of envelope

Thank you Sticker Dude. peace!

~Gi

 

The question of Dada

So much of what the Sticker Dude does is collaborative.  Although he might use a collaborative piece or two on his envelopes, they are something I imagine is a singular act. Sticker Dude's envelopes are a mixture of protest and belonging. You might find heroes and demons sitting side by side on a Sticker Dude envie.

This mailing is about Ed. I received mail from Ed (for mail art exhibitions I have hosted), but we don't trade regularly. My circle seems to get smaller and smaller as other things usurp my time, so it's good to hold a few of his pieces in my keen hands.

Our norms are shifting in these pandemic years.  Gone are the days of the simple pleasures like a martini or a cafe visit. Do Dadaists drink martinis?

Usually Sticker Dude tells me that a mailing is for the archives.  This surreal, dystopian add-and-pass is definately a keeper, so I wll assume I should. It feels like a snapshot of this moment in time.

I found the cheese. 

I wonder what Dada would do with Trumpism?  Could we be anymore shocked? Would Dada disrupt the heirarchy?

 

Sticker Dude's sorting station

Sticker Dude has been sending me a steady stream of special imagery that belong in my archive. I haven't exchanged often with Fleur.  When I was a regular on IUOMA I received a few pieces so it's brilliant to be passed this gorgeous photo that feels like a painting.

Also in the mailing is this different shape and size ATC drawn by Ed

I am encouraged to see that Imagine Peace Add and pass was started in 2016 and it's still live.  That will encourage me to find all the add and pass pages that have been sent to me and that have stalled here. 

 And Sticker Dude's envelope, bespeckeled with stamps is a joy! Beautiful. Thank you.

Telepathic Empathic Mail Art

It's really great to get mail art from Debra and to find out that she is a fan of my fused plastic collages! and what's even better is she enough of a fan to send me some wonderful stuff in a her bespoke 'far out' envelope. 

The first thing is an envelope boekie, made by Dan Buck and embellished by Debra. The last time someone sent me a collaborative book that I wasn't expected to add to and send back was Guido. So it's a special thing. Although maybe the empty page is for me to add to and send back to Ed? I tend to archive everything, meaning to send on add and pass things and somehow too much time passes and then they go up to my archive. But if I should continue this, just say.

And as for Debra's 'sign'.  I love that Debra saw my name and thought of me! 

I have been working on some fused plastic on and off for a few weeks.  I am hanging a lot of my plastic and books at a show in Colchester in August. Everything (well a lot of my fused plastic) always (… or even sometimes) begins as mail art and then I realise it's something that I am working through so can't send it out YET. That's what's happening now. You can see what I'm taking about just below the back of Debra's envelope. After  made Looming Lights, a book I took apart and then reassembled so i coul sew plastic into it, I deconstructed a dictionary with the intention of mailing out all the pages.  I worked in a flurry of activity and then couldn't send them…YET. That doesn't mean Debra won't get her fused plastic. It just means it might take a little while.

Huge thanks Debra! Love it all.

Red letter day with Ed and Joel

Although I have chosen a rhyming title for this post, and I am pleased to receive mail art from Ed and Joel, this mail art packs a punch and is definately of the protest variety.  

Ed nudges me in a protesting way with the word collaboration boldly across the back of the envelope, inviting me, I think, to add to the red mail art. Could this also be a plea to our 'leaders' to avoid embroiling us in hot-headed misery of conflict? 

The stamp, 'rage begets rage' is the face of a sociopath, manic and grinning, let's hope we can dampen the rage and avoid an insane world afterthought… 

Thanks guys for carrying the protest torch. I will try to add to it.