Post-Pop Art by Mars Tokyo + Monkey A&P w/Vic Jonez (Baltimore, Maryland, USA)

[De Villo Sloan]

Mail art by IUOMA member Mars Tokyo (Baltimore, Maryland, USA)

September 2, 2015 - Phenom Baltimore collage artist Mars Tokyo is a generous and faithful correspondent. I am very pleased to share this wonderful pop art-oriented, postcard-size work she sent during the summer. How can any ne look at this piece and not think: Roy Lichtenstein?

On a larger scale, though, I am deeply grateful that the Eternal Network is a place where (like Fluxus) Pop Art never gets old or historicized, never loses its relevance and appeal and always offers opportunities for innovation and creativity. How often does one find an alternative culture where things evolved differently than they did in the mainstream?

Pop Art’s reign in the network is certainly connected to Ray Johnson’s contributions to the genre. Pop Art also likely persists in the network due to the egalitarian nature of mail art. Popular culture, always changing and evolving, is a favorite source of inspiration. Here is the reverse side:

In another mailing, Mars Tokyo sent us two in-process add & pass pieces that seem to have originated with Vic Jonez (Dartmouth, Massachusetts, USA):

The add & pass is one of mail art’s great, indigenous forms. So I am always interested to see what is circulating and to share them. Here is stamping on the reverse side:

Another version:

The other side:

The envelope:

Great use of stamps throughout all these pieces. Thank you, as ever, to Mars Tokyo!

[Gü]

...and thanks for that link, I shall watch it later.

[De Villo Sloan]

And returning to Richard Canard's claim he is a Pop Artist: I looked through the file of work he has sent me in the last two years, and all I can say is: Maybe? (Just my opinion.)

The work I have from Richard that I would call Pop Art is the Trashpo "Cerealism" he sends (he did not create that designation). He does a lot w/cereal boxes and other boxes that bear mass produced consumer items.

Richard C is possibly King Richard of mail art in a historical sense. Personally, I can't call him the King of Pop (Michael Jackson still holds that title.)

[De Villo Sloan]

Great link, Gina. Thx.

The Ray Johnson Estate shared this link on FB. Part of it is because, I think, credit is now being given to RayJo as a key inventor of Pop Art, which he appears to have been. History is being exceedingly kind to that man. The elevation of his reputation since his death is remarkable, IMHO.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b067ftp7

[Gü]

Lots of pop art snippets here http://www.bbc.co.uk/guides/zwtkj6f?intc_type=promo&intc_locati...

[De Villo Sloan]

Thx, res. Carina Granlund does a lot w/popcult.

[De Villo Sloan]

The Pop "tradition" is alive, well and thriving within our humble practice, Richard. Thank you for providing names. I could probably do a survey as substantial as my review of West Coast mail art if I tried to catalog our Post-Pop stars. It would be a worthy project.

Some were born raised and fed a steady diet of Pop Art. I agree. But it persists in the network and people are doing interesting things with it long after the wave has passed above ground. That is the part I think is unique.

Yes, Richard. You do Pop Art. You use many other modes as well - effortlessly. Are you the ultimate Renaissance Man or a Jack of All Trades? The jury is still out.

With folks like CrackerJack Kid and Jessie Edwards naming you the greatest or among the greatest living mail artists, you mustn't allows this to interfere with the work.

As Ezra Pound is alleged to have said: "Start out with a swelled head; end up with swelled feet." 

[Richard Canard]

02.09.15  Dare DeVillo S., ...yes, me too!!!! Count me in as a fan of  that traditional" Post Pop Po " look.  Mars Tokyo, Stan Askew, Connie Jean, Angelica Paez seem to be avid, loyal disciplinarians & enthusiasts of this now "time-honored" tradition. I'm sure there are a several others that I can't seem to recall at the moment.   I aspire to be a part of this tradition as well....mostly , I suppose because there was really no escape & it was  "the way" our world was (& is) ...the imagery that surrounded us our entire lives. (imagenergy)Richard Canard