INVESTIGATIVE MAIL-ART: Deep Inside the DKULT with KDJ & Diane Keys (Orlando, Florida, USA)

[De Villo Sloan]

Cover: July 2011 issue of the DKULTNY (DKULT-New York) fanzine

 

November 25, 2011 - Posing as an adoring fan injured in the infamous D-Koder Ring Scandal, I infiltrated the D-KULT (a mail-art movement based on the enigmatic and charismatic mail-artist Diane Keys (Illinois, USA), following a slippery chain of command to its highest levels. My findings are deeply disturbing.

 

Once headquartered in Elgin, Illinois, DKULT "problems cases" are now routed to an address in Orlando, Florida (USA). This is managed under the iron hand of DK's current "Lieutenant": KDJ (aka DKDJ). DK now barely communicates with the growing throng of her international fans. Instead, insiders say her time is devoted to courting corporate sponsorship of her increasingly extravagant performance pieces. A shadowy character known as "Heath" has risen to a high position in the organization.

 

Most of the trash that drives her thriving industry, that she previously collected herself in the streets of Elgin, is now imported from the U.S. State of Maine where a regional DKULT operation has sprung up under the leadership of Nancy Bell Scott, known to have ties to the controversial and alleged cultist Trungpa Rinpoche. DK's trash cartel can be traced further to Hamburg, Germany, and probably beyond. An unidentified DKULT watcher claims a major partnership is in the works with Grigori Antonin of Minnesota.

 

In response to my request for a new D-Koder ring I received a baffling document, prefaced by this letter and followed with page upon page of forms to complete:

 

Now the second page:

 

 

I regret I cannot reproduce the voluminous reports I am requested to complete. Clearly, the average mail-artist is powerless against the D-KULT. Here is an example of some of the contents:

 

Exhibit H is alleged to be a psychological test designed by Grigori Antonin (Minnesota, USA).

I cannot imagine what Exhibit C has to do with a defective D-Koder Ring. The slick marketing that helped the D-KULT's rise to the top is still being used to its advantage. The bad news came to me in this wonderful envelope:

 

 

D-KULT marketing and recruitment is clearly as slick as ever. Has a once benevolent mail-art movement evolved in a dangerous kult of personality? I will leave that for readers to decide.

 

Mail-artists are encouraged to monitor the official Diane Keys blog and report any strange or unusual activities:

http://dianekeys.blogspot.com/

 

MAIL-ART PSYCHIC

 

Mink schnitzel

 

Don't take it out of the bag, Louise. It's not normal.

 

The proper remedy is catwalk maroon. waffles or waffling

 

Snooker's Mink Ranch.

 

Bifidus has found the key to the 13th dimension. The signs were always there.

 

37

 

You don't look that good in red anyway. Sleeve it alone.

 

Coffee cups & doughnut holes.

 

He asked for a white handkerchief & an orange. Max knew him in Queens. It was the noise of the chainsaw that bothered me the most. No, the other Max.

 

Harvey Brown. Yet another genius from Cleveland.

 

Ray says the Glimmer Twins are back.

[De Villo Sloan]

It'S NOT all that unusual.

[DKeys]

bodily fluids are the theme of the day. I'm having a conversation on Facebook about going to dinner for my birthday and some guy blowing his nose into the cloth napkin at the table next to us. I found it disgusting

[De Villo Sloan]

"Precious bodily fluids." Remember "Dr. Strangelove"?

[DKeys]

 I don't know him or any parts of his precious human body personally.

I meant this line

[DKeys]

Very poetic Erni:

Something about Precious and Parts in the same sentence creates a natural tension. 

[De Villo Sloan]

And Erni, I looked at the Mission Impossible YouTube link. That's funny. What is it? My sound is a bit off.

[DKeys]

"Sex, Drugs and Rock and Roll. Take out the drugs and there's more room for the other two"--quote by Steven Tyler

[De Villo Sloan]

johnny cash performs "wanted man" (cowritten with Bob Dylan) San Quentin Prison '69

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kHiuxn0FhI

[De Villo Sloan]

Erni, I thought Dharmadada was just an accepted name people used, like from Kerouac or something. I will add to the lexicon of all the terms we're using. Very perfect to describe what you do.

 

You refresh mtymemory. Shel Silverstein is well known as a songwriter and poet. I believe he wrote "A boy named Sue," performed by our great US Existential Cowboy Bard Johnny Cash who, of course, collaborated with Bob Dylan.

[De Villo Sloan]

I was looking at Grigori's Erni Baer Club chart. Is Dharma Da Da an expression you invented, or has that appeared elsewhere. It is very descriptive of what you do. Dr. Hook, eh? Never heard him but very informative you found that so impressive. You just never know.

 

Well, we certainly survived D Day. Yet another monument we've built to the Trash Kween.