A Mail Art History (Book 2 of a series)

A Mail Art History (Book 2)

CONT: - Text related to A Mail Art History - see Book 1.  At times the painting numbering on the send-outs was different to the my computer documentation - and I remember why - I started officially numbering quite late, once I realized how much I enjoyed this practice.  Hence some early discrepancies.  There were also numerous paintings I Forgot to number.  Numerical values get  a bit hazy around 7 - this painting was sent out unnumbered and this is where the actual phrase “The Authentic Massacre of the Innocent Image” emerged.  This very large painting was used primarily for the covers of a limited edition, digitally printed artists book. 

AUTHENTIC was the title I chose off a list in about January 2012.  I found his collaboration a disaster - There were supposed to be 8 in the group - I sent off all my books and received 2 in return.  I think the organizers became swamped with the quantity of artists who signed up for these collaborations.  Consequently returns were bad.   BUT, much good came from this endeavor in terms of understanding and pushing my own approach to a personal visual language.

I documented the massacre of process of a physical painting and repeated the process using Mona Lisa - still one of my favorite images.  Moya was on hand luckily - she was able to transpose/morph my face with Mona Lisa’s.

I was a great ‘sew-er’ at the time - with an aesthetic of THREADS EVERYWHERE.  I’m relieved that’s changed 4 years on.  My mail Art correspondence slowed down considerably after I showed the first ever Mail Art Exhibition in South Africa.  The title was Mail Art Makes the World a Town - the result of further cutting up previously of a book titled The World is a Town.  

Now, correspondents are fewer, but I value the ones I have.  This has allowed me to concentrate in the main on making books for An Encyclopedia of Everything.  I had CARTONS of Mail Art following the exhibition and this has allowed me a wealth of access to artists all over the world.