PORTRAIT OF MARY -- an add-and-pass project inspired by Yoko Ono that needs a Mary to get it started

[Valentine Mark Herman]

Yoko Ono was a supporter, but declined to bcome a member, of the early Fluxus movement. She embraced various dAdA ideas.

Her seminal book Grapefruit (1962) contained many references to the use of the mail to advance conceptual art, including the 'Portrait of Mary' below.

There are 28 'Mary's' currently members of IUOMA (including variations on the name such as 'Marya' and 'Maryse').

I thought that one Mary might want to take up Yoko's idea, perhaps adapting it to a simpler 'add-and-pass' format.

Go Mary's go!!

"PORTRAIT OF MARY

Send a canvas to a Mary in any country and ask her to paste a photograph. Have her send the canvas to a Mary of any country to do the same. When the canvas is filled up with photographs of Marys, it should be returned to the original sender. The name does not have to be Mary. It can also be a fictional name, in which case the canvas will be sent to different countries until a person with such a name will be found. The object to paste on the canvas does not have to be a photograph. It can be a numeral figure, an insect or a finger print.

Spring 1962"

From Yoko Ono, Grapefruit (1964)

[Valentine Mark Herman]

'Why pass the Fluxus buck?',Mary Anne. Because I was waiting for a 'real' Mary like yourself or a Merry one, like Bradford, to emerge, and start this going. (Or not)

[Bradford]

I'm known as Merry Bradford in some circles.

[Mary Anne]

you have the instructions.

You have a list of Marys.

Why pass the fluxus buck?

[Valentine Mark Herman]

Dear Bradford,

Thanks.

You have just been appointed (by me, who started this Blog) an Honorary Mary.

Please let me know if you want to be called 'Mary Bradfiord' or Bradfor Mary'. 

Val

[Katerina Nikoltsou (MomKat)]

MomKat is Katerina-MARIA :-)

hmmm, Add/Pass...ok to follow in the footsteps of Yoko Ono !

[Bradford]

Amongst the membership here, I see several variations of this as poskerbilliters:

Mara

Maral

Maralena

Mari

Maria

Marialba

Marian

Marianna

Marijane

Marilia

Marilu

Marilyn

Marin

Marion

Marisa

Mariza

Marlene

Marlies

Marly

Mary

Marya

Maryann

Marylinn

Maryse