The Great Mail-Art Trashpo Summit

[De Villo Sloan]

Wanted or unwanted, Trashpo is "in the air" these days. Does it matter if work called Trashpo is also asemic? Are there basic issues about Trashpo in mail-art that people want to discuss? This thread has been established for specific discussions involving Trashpo and asemics. 

 

Link to the original Trashpo pieces circa 2005:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/textimagepoetry/64100548/in/photostream/

[De Villo Sloan]

Good point, Bruno. Specifically, I believe Trashpo was invented (although I'm sure there are many other examples) by US visual poet Jim Leftwich. You can find examples of the original Trashpo on the net still. The examples I've seen appear to be real trash assembled into asemic forms or vispo. I've about concluded for myself it all amounts to a choice of materials. If you want to make vispo out of trash, it can be called Trashpo. I don't think it necessarily can even can be considered "found" art. The issues comes up these days. Thanks for commenting. I'll try to find some examples and post them.

[cheryl penn]

Hey Bruno :-) I am in NO knot about trashpo - yes, personal views on what it is and is not - interesting. Symbols - MAN! They're also a world to themselves... As soon as we impose meaning they slip out and do another unexpected thing to add to the confusion...

[De Villo Sloan]

This is all great to hear. I don't know that Trashpo is even relevant. You know, I'd prefer not to bring the Poetry Wars here. They rage outside the gates, oh yes they do

[De Villo Sloan]

Cheryl, I do think you WERE in a not about Trashpo. I wish I had never uttered it. I call for peace & love, but if anyone wants to get anything out in the open - that's why I started this stream.

[De Villo Sloan]

I mean in a knot.

[cheryl penn]

DVS - you really make me laugh!! - In a good way - somedays I am so unravelled a knot would be impossible. In fact, the results of being unravelled - yip, I think they would fall into trashpo :-)))

[De Villo Sloan]

I'm still smarting over being called a "da da deconstructionist" - not by you. I am neither nor a combination of the two. No fun being trashed

[cheryl penn]

A da da deconstructionist??? My Wereld! o my... I dont quite know what to say to that :-))) Take it with a cup of salt - always good policy. When you're at the front of a movement, you catch the bullets - so maybe ducking is also good policy :-))) no, I'm sorry I suppose this is serious? Cerealise?

[De Villo Sloan]

Cheryl, that is truly kind. The people in the asemic group are exploring this in an incredible way, producing fascinating work. But who knew where it would go? Or where it will go? I didn't want some aesthetic issue to become a "bone of contention" (to allude to your work). I don't think it is. I did leave a message for Marie saying basically that adopting a Soviet model for Sandpo was an administrative error. No wonder that stuff didn't work. It never works. So a kind of kinder, gentler poetics - hold the Stalin.

[De Villo Sloan]

Here is a link to Jim Leftwich's photos. This shows the original Trashpo pieces. It looks like the heyday of Trashpo was circa 2005:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/textimagepoetry/64100548/in/photostream/

[De Villo Sloan]

sandpo-trashpo?

[amazon59]

Stand and you will be shot at - duck and you will be trampled on.

There is never an out just a sidestepping of the problems when one is involved.

personally, I would say that underneath all of it - art is in the eye - of both the beholder and the artist.

Asemic - certainly started the ball rolling but perhaps, everyone was looking for an esoteric string - so far outside of reality of our modern world and like true humans, we must take everything to extremes. For only the extremists stand out. The middle becomes fat and swollen with "normal'. The middle is un-remembered. But the fringe, now that is where all the fun is taking place. That is where we (most of us) especially artists - want to be. And if for only a little while, we can singe our fingers with asemic writing, or trashpo well, it was more exciting than being labeled a couch potato with our finger on the pulse of the remote.

Completely enjoy the ride!