Mail art Wave!

Sometimes there is a decoding process when you receive mail art. For me I look at colour, shape, the design; I try to place it historically and to understand the context. When I don't know a correspondent well sometimes I research the person and their work.  I want to get as much meaning from mail art as I can.

Here, Mikel has made it easy for me. He's used artistamps and wonderfuly textured mark making when he made my 'original'.  He's altered a postcard, adding text over the image.  He has used all the things I look for and at to decode, as I respond to it.  It's interesting and beautiful.

Mikel has included a greeting.  It is personal. And then he gives me all the context I need to understand how the words MAIL ART WAVE fit in.  Read about the Mail Art Congress Meet up with a fellow mail artist in 2022!

 

Moan Lisa's poetic faces

Moan (Maria) sent me an invite to Moanlisa.org a few weeks back.  I tried to join but needed a code.  I got a code but by that time I think Moan had moved on.  Moan moves quickly, dipping her digital paintbrush into topics that others might tiptoe around! The determination and ferocity of this image may be reflexive… On the back of this altered book page the final words are pr Truth is stranger than fiction

These 5 x 7 photos are either digital sandwiches of text like the piece above, printed onto the text.  This is a letter from Simon Warren.  I recognise the handwriting and the motifs. 

These visual poems use text so thoughtfully.  Moan chooses this 'devilish' expression and then uses bold text to remind me, 'the point of disgust with nings of Europe, the Africa, sh devilish ingredients, the sated.' and that face changes, softens and demands justice. 

Thanks Moan.  Lots of thinking here.