mystery arrival

[Mary Anne]

This oddity arrived a week or so ago.  I nothing of it other than, giving the recent posts about the presence of money in the mail art universe, I thought it might be of some interest.  All the 'artwork' is copies; for example the 'hello Mary' collage has my name written on a label stuck over the original.  The 'dedication' at the top of that sheet is also a label stuck over another name.  None of it inspires me to take advantage of the offer and send money for the book but I give the address here in case anyone else out there does.  You never know it be a bargain . . . 

[Mary Anne]

interesting different perspectives.  Always useful to gain new information . . .

[Mail Art Martha]

And I feel most strongly that making money out of mail art is despicable. Of course it all may be a stupid joke, I fail to see the humour.

[Mail Art Martha]

I cannot use other's work either, even I need to make an effort to use magazine imagery for collages . But stuff that comes unsigned I find very annoying. It distresses me not to be able to respond properly and it is, on reflexion, inconsiderate of the sender to put anybody in that spot.  

[De Villo Sloan]

Mary Anne, I don't see why your response is to execute the piece. I think it's satire concerning the recent mail art and money discussions here at Yoma. I've seen lots of cryptic-satirical things like this.

The Neoists actually sent out requests for fake scholarship funds, sick children & animals to get money to live on. They'd be arrested today. They sought to defraud.

This also raises questions about destroying mail art. I know our friend Ilya from Russia posted recently that it's OK to disembowel m-a received to make new art. I have trouble with that unless the sender includes instructions to destroy the piece. I can't bring myself to destroy most m-a received.

I think this catalog ad you received is clever, in fact.

I can't believe Martha encourages you in this one.

[Mary Anne]

Ah, there we have it . . . I have already chopped it all up and have the beginnings of three little booklets.  Waste not . . . 

[Mail Art Martha]

 I would bin it!