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What Is Mail Art?
It is not precious art. It can disappear in the post, get ripped, and have stickers placed on it in the process. This is all part of the allure. The artist collaborates with the post office. They add their mark to your work.
I have a very purist definition of Mail Art. It is a piece of art that passes through the mail system. By piece of art- I do not mean a piece that is simply mailed in an envelope. That is "mailed art". Mail Art, to me, means the piece itself must be mailed as the art. All contents in an unembellished envelope don't count. The stamp you place on that piece, the cancellation of that stamp… that is what makes the piece Mail Art. Mail Art is normally postcards and envelopes, but can not be confined to just that. It can also be found objects that are mailed. It can be sculptural.
Some people even do e-mail art (I don't get into that). There is a magic quality that lives in that which has been touched by human hands, opposed to electronic devises. Something that is one of a kind, not a postcard that thousands of other people are sending as well as you, and not an overpriced replica of a famous painting, photograph, or generic view of the place you are.
Can You Still Send Me Stuff?
Yes, you sure can. Thank you to all who have. One of the things about of mail art is there is no guarantee
to a reply- so don't feel bad if I don't reply. Sometimes I'm up for it- and sometimes I'm working on a painting and I don't remember to. I'm easily distracted.
What Is The Point?
I ask myself this all the time. What is the point of art? Of life? Sometimes I wonder if there is a point… but that doesn't stop me from doing it. Here are some reasons:
1. I have to be making something all the time- and it's a way to make things and then get rid of them. I move through an idea and then loose interest. Plus I like to give stuff away. I guess that makes me a nice person.
2. I like to get surprises in the mail. I like to see just how creative Mail Art junkies can get. Some pieces are very whacked out and I love that.
3. It is the cheapest way to collect art I know. It's also a cheap way to collect from people who live very far away.
4. It's fun when you are pen-pals with someone and you add a new dimension to letter writing. Two artistic people who converse really add a new layer and add visual meaning to the words.
5. It fulfills a compulsion to collect stamps- but is practical in that the stamps are used.
6. It's a way to recycle magazines, scraps, and trash of all kinds. It's a fun use of toys you might already have- such as rubber stamps, fun paper, glitter, pressed leaves, and such.
7. It's not necessarily serious art so you can have fun with it as much as you want. It can be downright silly.
8. It is an art movement- but it does not confine the artist to one specific style, media, or genre. It is whatever you feel like at the time.
9. Studio space is often a problem so it's a good way to explore working very small in your home.
10. It is not a requirement to be an artist to make Mail Art. One can be crafty, or just experimental for that matter. Sending found objects (such as a can of sardines) is just as creative as sending a watercolor postcard.
There are countless other reasons for doing things that don't make sense. We all have our compulsions.
To learn more about the father of mail art- there is a wonderful article about Ray Johnson HERE.
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