RECEIVED: Chapter V by JF CHAPELLE for the Project 26 Collaborative Mail-Art Book (Merignac, France)

[De Villo Sloan]

Mail-art by IUOMA member JF CHAPELLE (Merignac, France)

 

March 22, 2011  - When the call was first made for participants to contribute chapters for the Project 26 collaborative mail-art book, I was thrilled when JF Chapelle signed on. He is one of my favorite FluXus artists in the mail-art network. He is a visual poet as well. I knew this would be an opportunity to see an extended work. Chapter V does not disappoint.

 

The opening scan (above) is from inside the chapter. I begin with it because it illustrates JF CHAPELLE's talent and excellent humor. Here is how the chapter opens:

 

The paper he used is a cream color, which shows up unevenly in the scans; it's really very nice. JF chose to focus on Da Da for this chapter.  Next, particularly the left-hand page, is a great example of his distinctive visual poetry:

 

Much wordplay is going on in addition to the images. With European Fluxus artists who are visual poets , notably JF CHAPELLE and Litsa Spathi, I note there is a pronounced lack of overlays. They strike me as being very influenced by concrete poetry, perhaps Emmett Williams in particular. 

 

The right-hand page below is a prime example of the concrete poetry mentioned above. JF CHAPELLE explores the visual qualities of V as well as its linguistic functions:

 

Here is the concluding page, bringing us back to the Da Da theme. I suppose at this point in history, going back into Da Da constitutes a kind of archaeology. JF CHAPELLE reveals both the serious intent and humor of the tradition:

 

 

The proud recipient:

 

 

And the reverse:

 

 

Thank you so much JF CHAPELLE! You have a growing place in my mail-art archive.

[De Villo Sloan]

You arrived just in time. I was having this nightmare I was being overwhelmed by a legion of trash people. Sure, I'd love to have more work by JF.

[cheryl penn]

Thank you for this blog of J F Chapelle's great V - I have received the most fantastic contribution to The World is a Town from him, and as the excellent resident J H Chapelle blogger shall have to pass images on to you for comment at the Ministry before attempting to blog them myself.