John Held Jnr. & Andrew McClintock - Catalogue

24 page litho printed catalogue from the San Francisoc Institute from an exhibition of Gutai and mail art inspired by Gutai - Feb 8th - March 30th 2013.  WWW.SFAI.EDU

Creative Thing - Stamp sheet/ Envelope

Creative Thing ( Leslie Caldera )  sent this from California.  Arrived today.

Blaster Al Ackerman - Cassette Tape 1980's

Sad news of Blaster's death made me rummage in the old tape pile to find this mail art "gem" from the mid 80's I would guess.  Blaster was one of my first mail art contacts. I think Dave Zack probably put us in touch  when Blaster was working on his short lived "White Worm Review". He had somehow seen or been sent a collage of mine featuring a white worm and asked very politely if he could use it in a forthcoming issue.  I said yes ofcourse and our decade long correspondance was born.

Ehse Records says -

Doctor Al Ackerman and "Blaster" are the most commonly used pseudonyms of well-known Americanmail artist and still little-known writer who has been active since the early 1970s. A Vietnam veteran, Ackerman worked in hospitals in Texas in the 70's, where his extrordinarily pessimistic but also highly idiosyncratic worldview further crystallized. He moved from Texas to Baltimore where he became highly collaborative and a fixture of the burgeoning experimental cultural scene from 1992-2010, after being financially encourage by Rupert Wondolowski and John Berndt to make the move. In 2010 he moved back to Texas due to ill health, and currently lives in Austin with his daughter. 

Heavily influenced by post-war pulp writers like L. Ron Hubbard, Theodore Sturgeon, Raymond Chandlerand Fredric Brown (with whom Ackerman corresponded as a young person) as well as by modernists likeRay Johnson, Francis Ponge and the Oulipo, Ackerman's writing has dealt playfully, if obsessively, with themes of madness, derangement, and weird phenomena. He has been described as "the perfect synthisis of Flan O'Brian, Boris Vian, S.J. Perlman and H.P. Lovecraft though  that hardly does justice to his unique, instantly recognizable prose style. 

His visual work is also in the tradition of black humor, often including a trademark character, "thehebephrenic," a demented character with a wide upper lip and two protruding teeth. His output from the 70's to the 90's was primarily in the form of photocopied "Mail art" editions sent to other correspondents, and sometimes featured in gallery shows and underground publications. His most famous character, "The Ling Master" (based on the premise of what Lamonte Cranston (aka "The Shadow") would have been like if instead of being a super hero he had been an eccentric shut-in) has been the subject of considerable attention--including translations of stories into foreign languages, 

In the 90's, collections of his writing and drawings began to appear in professionally produced books. His voluminous output was anthologized in The Blaster Omnibus and given a one-man show at the Chela Gallery in Baltimore, Maryland. Other books include Let Me Eat Massive Pieces of Clay, I Taught My Dog to Shoot a Gun, and Corn and Smoke. Over the past twenty years, he has been mostly frequently published The Lost and Found Times, published by frequent collaborator John M. Bennett, and by theShattered Wig Review published by Rupert Wondolowski, although his massive body of work is difficult to track due to his regular use of a variety of pseudonyms (which he relates to his childhood love of the pulps), including Eel Leonard, Luther Blissett (nom de plume) (a reference to the footballer of the same name), and Swarthy Turk Sellers among many others, as well as regular anonymous and collaborative works. His latest book entitled "Misto Peas: Tiny Special Stories", was published in 2009 by Luna Bisonte Productions. The book contains reworkings or "hacks" of poet John M. Bennett's writing--one of many streams of longtime activity by Ackerman. 

Ackerman's deep influence on extreme cultural figures far outstrips his public visibility. His influence in the 80s was strongly influential in the formation of Neoism and on Neoism founder Istvan Kantor, Neoists tENTATIVELY a cONVENIENCE and John Berndt, performance artist Andre Stitt, photographer Richard Kern (who published Ackerman's writing in his magazine Dumb Fucker) and musicians Genesis P-Orridgewho used one of Ackerman's letters as the text of Throbbing Gristle's song "Hamburger Lady." Many of his stories have been made into videos by his longtime friend Steve "Sleeze" Steele, and one story, about a man who give his life over to the creation of a garment made of Vienna sausages, was given feature-length film treatment by Catherine Pancake under the name The Suit.

In 2005 a long playing record of his spoken performances, titled I am Drunk, was issued on Ehse.

Blaster Al Ackerman  -  If Not This Then What?

M. Greenfield - Envelope and enclosures

Mark sends some new Ray Not stickers, pass along sheet and a letter.

Blaster Al Ackerman R.I.P.

Sad to here of the passing of a mail art  legend.  A short obituary HERE.

Art Nahpro - Envelope

Art Nahpro (Paul Jackson)  collaged envelope from 1995.  Front and back.

Robin Crozier/David Dellafiora - Memo/ry

From Robin in 1994.

Kobb Laboratories

Kobb Laboratories latest 'zine featuring video and 'zine reviews etc. Also includes postcard, Fluxus Buck and mask. Send something for review to Dr. William Kobb, PO Box 30231, Pensacola, FL 32503, U.S.A.

Great Midwestern Correspondunce School

Grigori Antonin curated show "John Cage - 100 Years" in Minneapolis this year. 30 page full colour catalogue - here featuring the front cover byPedro Bericat and the back by Bruno Chiarlone.

Flip Books at Printroom

Festschrift for an Archive by Jason Simon (US) & The Flip Collection III An international collection of flipbooks by artists. Featuring: Spin by Martha Colburn (US/NL) This presentation is part of the programme of the 42nd International Film Festival Rotterdam Opening reception: 25 January 2013, 7 – 10 pm Schietbaanstraat 17, Rotterdam The exhibition runs until 16 February Festschrift for an Archive is a set of books commemorating the demise of the much-loved Film Stills Archive department that the Museum of Modern Art ran for decades. In his publication project Jason Simon has reproduced the judgements of the National Labor Relations Board regarding MoMA’s decision to ship the museum’s massive Film Still Archive off to cold storage as a response to a strike led in part by the archive’s associate curator. Simon has individualized each book with a film still representing some aspect of labor struggle. Ranging over film history these include stills from “Car Wash”, “The Crowd”, “I’m All Right Jack”, “Modern Times”, “Nine to Five”, “The Organizer”, “Salt of the Earth”, and “Strike”. Rarely has the connection between labour and cinema quite been so material as in the story of the FSA The Flip Collection III The Flip Collection is an international, growing collection of flipbooks, part of PrintRoom’s travelling collection of publications by artists, designers, photographers and theoreticians. A flipbook (also called thumb cinema) is a booklet that, for a short moment, becomes a film. Spin by Martha Colburn PrintRoom invited Martha Colburn (US/NL) to transform a selection of her film material into a flipbook. See for yourself, in just a few seconds, what a seductive lady and a spider have in common. Contributions by: Ghenadie Popescu (MD), Maike Hemmers (DE/NL), Gözde Türkkan | Mimiko (TR), Georg Traber CH), Elena Gilbert (US/DE), Max Senden (NL), Rachel Sender (ES/NL), Antje Van Wichelen (BE), Lawrence-Olivier Mahadoo (US/FR), Han Hoogerbrugge (NL), Sarah Vanagt (BE) & Katrien Vermeire (BE), Masha Krasnova-Shabaeva (NL/RU), Esther Urlus (NL), Bas Fontein (NL), Gloria Glitzer (DE), Quinten Swagerman (NL), Scott Blake (US), Ricardo Leal Gomes (PT), Roger Bygott (UK), Alice Rice (US), Jenny Suhonen (FI), Loes Verstappen (NL), Ernesto Morales (MX), Terhi Ekebom (FI), Andre Pielage (NL), Jenni Rope (FI), Mariana Zanetti (BR), Kati Rapia (FI), Samuli Otto-Henrik Saarinen (FI), Anne Roecklein (US), Marieke Verbiesen (NL/SE), Derek Parker (US), Lise Duclaux (BE), Jan Voss (NL), Com Amoras (PT), Maurizio Montalti (IT), Tomas Schats (NL), Michael Leigh (UK), Guilia Garbin (IT/UK) among others.

Ed Varney - Documentation/envelope

16 page photocopied catalogue sent from Canada from Ed Varney who curated the Mayworks show 2012. 225 participants from 33 countries. Next years Mayworks show is accepting work now . Send to Ed varney, 4426 Island Highway South, Courtney, BC, V9N 9T1, Canada. The theme is The Artist at Work/ Self Portrait. Postcard size, any medium. No fees, no returns. catalogue to all. Deadline April 15th, 20013.

Ryosuke Cohen - Brain Cell

Ryosuke sent this today although I am not featured in this edition of Brain Cell No.842. Gocco print all the way from Japan.

D.C.Spaulding - Artistamps

D.C. Spaulding (What Is This Artist Doing?)sent this from Lomita CA USA today.

Monocassette/A1/others - 'zine

Get yours while stocks last! At ETSY. Just Out! Brand New Material. Comic Strips/Cartoons/Collages/Illustration Features: Status Quo/Pinhole Paparazzi/Blitz Kids/Fashion/Tom Jones/ Rat's Corner West/Collages/Chocolate Teapot and more. 24 Pages A4 - Full Colour Covers - Black & White Inside Autumn 2012 - £3.00 inc. P&P UK £5.00 inc. shipping everywhere else.

Henry Denander - Envelope/book

Henry in Sweden sent this recently - hand made book with printed watercolour paintings of cats he found in Greece. This imited edition book is number 117. Also enclosed two artistamps on the same subject and a hand written note.

A.1. - Collage

A page that is NOT in the latest 124 page paperback The Best OF The Christmas Catalogues on Black Scat Books.

A.1. Waste paper Co. Ltd. - Shameless Plug

Some old mail art here amongst these 124 pages of festive nonsense. Available from Black Scat Books and Amazon (USA and UK). Please feel free to give a review as this helps the book's profile.

Creative Thing - Envelope

Collaged envelope with Halloween mask and mail art stamps - enclosing artistamp sheets and stickers etc. Sent by Creative Thing (AKA Leslie Caldera)in CA. USA.

John Evans 1932 - 2012 RIP

Sad news about John who passed away yesterday. One of my earliest mail art contacts back in 1983 or so. I think it was Michael Scott who gave me his address and told me how wonderful and enigmatic his letters and collages were. He was a friend of Ray Johnson and In the Pop Art book by Kablick? he is mentioned by Ray at a stilt performance in Central Park "Will John Evans tattoo his stilts?" referring to Johns tattoo of a bleeding dagger he made himself in High School.Excellent interview HERE that Ruud Janssen did with John a few years ago.

Henning Mittendorf - Catalogue

Henning initiated and advised on this mail art show on the theme of "Dragons" in Germany 2012. Full colour catalogue of 32 pagesd. Head of exhibition - Heike Wider .Managing Board - Peter C. Woitge. 270 artists from 39 countries took part.

Mail Art Mekka Minden - Postcard

New project invite from Germany.

Phil Mead - Envelope, postcards, ephemera

Invite from Phil about Issue 25 - enclosed postcard to be returned, diagram and ephemera.

PLG - Postcard

PLG sent this from Germany recently.Recycled card via Switzerland.

"Blaster" Al Ackerman

Blaster sent this from San Antonio TX in 1984.

Carlo Pittore - Flyer

Carlo sent this from New York in 1984.

Post The Psalms - Documentation

16 page photocopied catalogue for the Post The Psalms mail art project in Florida organised by Bobby McGee or R.I. Luce? back in 1984. My collage appears on page 14.

Ryosuke Cohen - Flyer

Gocco printed flyer from Japan. 1984

Eric Finlay - Envelope

Eric sent this envelope to Hazel Jones and then onto me. 1984

Robin Crozier - MEMO/Random

This one to and from Lees Francke? or XCL Francke in Holland back in 1984.

Spazio Arte Quiliano - Catalogue

Documentation from Italy featuring 300 works from over 30 countries. 48 pages - full colour.

Mark Greenfield/A1 - Envelope

Collaborative envelope with Mark in Staffordshire. Mark returned this with colour photo copies, flyers, rubber stamps and ephemera.

Farewell Debut - Printed Cards

Farewell Debut sent this packet of cards today. Enclosed in a brown paper bag secured with a crocodile clip. All the way from NY . USA.

Kobb Laboratories

More goodies from Kobb in Pensacola FL. inc. two DVD's of trashy horror movies "Teenage Zombies" and "First Man In Space".

D.C. Spaulding - Artistamps

Stamp sheet from D.C. in Lomita CA. What Is This Artist Doing?

PLG - Postcard

Peter sent this card from Germany on 11th June 2012.

Mail Art Call

Sent to me recently by J.K. Post. (I presume?)

Norman Conquest - Envelope/ Emblem

Norman sent this Beuy Scouts Of Amerika emblem from Fairfield CA.

PLG - Postcard

Peter sent this from Germany. On the reverse is written - " |By the way- did the Capt'n Ahab Blakey get to you- some weeks ago? (no) Overleaf box is a must!... Itz not said about itz size - matchbox like? Meanwhile we're going on barefoot... Greetings PLG"

Dobrica Kamperelic - Envelope /'zine/postcard

Dobrica in Serbia sent this recently - his Open World mail art 'zine ( No. 91 ) , a postcard to pass onto Mark Greenfield and a short note asking me why I don't do much snail mail anymore. The reason ofcourse is blogs like this which take up most of my time these days. Also the archive is bursting at the seams and postage rates have spiralled out of control!

D.C Spaulding - Postcard

D.C. Spaulding sent this from Lomita CA.