RECEIVED: Fluxus Chicago from Skybridge Studios (USA), Vispo from Guido Bitossi (Italy) & Is Jim Dine the Original Visual Poet?

[De Villo Sloan]

Stamp from Fluxus Fest 2011 sent by IUOMA member Skybridge Studios (North Manchester, Indiana, USA)

December 9, 2011 - In a previous blog I wrote about a series of Fluxus events held across the U.S.A. in 2011, including activities in Chicago. Good friend Skybridge Studios surprised me with this wonderful stamp that is on the reverse side of a large Chicago Fluxus poster from the event. I have no idea how she got it. I am certainly thrilled to have it. Due to scanner challenges, I had to break the poster image in half:

Many of you know Keith A. Buchholz (St. Louis, Missouri, USA) is an important Fluxus artist working today. He is an IUOMA member and active in mail-art. He is linked to the theme: "Fluxus never sleeps." In fact, I think he never sleeps, organizing and participating in events all over the world. He recently curated the George Maciunas show in Lithuania that included work by many friends here.

http://www.bienale.lt/2011/?p=371&lang=en

The poster was designed by our own Ginny Lloyd (Florida, USA). I am less familiar with Picasso Gaglione; maybe someone can fill me in.  Here's the second half of the poster:

I just could not make Chicago in the depths of winter last year and deeply regret it.  From accounts I have read, there was an emphasis on performance scores and performances; it must have been fascinating. I have discovered, however, that the event will be offered again in 2012. You can find information on the December 2, 2011 entry for Fluxlist:

http://fluxlist.blogspot.com/

Here's the address portion of the mailing:

Again, Lisa, my deepest thanks.

Guido Bitossi is a new friend from Rome, Italy. I know nothing about him except that he has a blog (contact provided later) that has Fluxus material, work by John M. Bennett, and a link to Ben Vautier, among other interesting things. I recently received an envelope from him that marks the beginning of our correspondence. Inside is concrete poetry/wordplay he has hand-written:

Italy is a powerhouse for concrete and visual poetry. I notice there is a tendency toward hand-written work far more than you see in the United States.  I like Guido's piece because it is far closer to conventional verse than most of the work we are used to seeing. In mail-art vispo, it is more likely language will be estranged from content and transformed into a kind of raw visual material. Guido reminds us of the full range of possibilities, including a move toward poetry in the literary tradition rather than away from it. His envelope has some interesting asemic or automatic writing included:

I am grateful for your friendship, Guido. I look forward to becoming more familiar with your work and trading mail-art. Keep an eye Guido Bitossi's blog for sure:

http://mailartrubbish.blogspot.com/

So is Jim Dine the original visual poet?

First, geez, no I did not receive mail-art from legendary artist Jim Dine. I doubt he would know what to make of a shred of DK's shirt. A recent entry on the exceptional blog of poet, biographer, and critic Tom Clark has got me thinking about Jim Dine all the same.

Trademark "Hearts" by Jim Dine

In mail-art, we tend to have a core of artists we refer to as common currency (even though individual tastes are infinite and we see all kinds of influences). In addition to Ray Johnson and Cavellini, we often talk about Yoko Ono, Kurt Schwitters, Warhol, and Pollock - add a half dozen others. Also include Fluxus. 

Perhaps Jim Dine deserves a whole lot more consideration than he has been given among mail-artists because the influence is present. Primarily, he is associated with popart. Yet strong ties and contributions to Neo-Dada, Fluxus and performance art are there als0. And, you know, his work is really good. Even more to the point, his connection to poetry - his longstanding commitment to intermedia that unites word and image - is outstanding and deserves some serious examination. It might provide some new thinking too. 

This meditation is inspired by reading some Jim Dine poetry on the Clark blog. Do not become disoriented. The Dine work is placed with some fine work by da Vinci; there is another link to more Jim Dine if you scroll down:

http://tomclarkblog.blogspot.com/2011/12/jim-dine-downfall-of-your-...

[De Villo Sloan]

Hi Cheryl, I was thinking about favorite artists for the vispo book project. Then I saw the TC blogs on Jim Dine, whom I had blanked out on for some reason. (Lucky there are TCs in the world.) JD did many collaborations with writers that are excellent.

Skybridge, so you were in Chicago! I'm gladly they stayed with tradition and managed to do something unusual to a concert piano. Fluxus is supposed to be non-symbolic or non-metaphorical, but in that case it means something.

Sue, they held a FluxFest in NYC last year also. Maybe they'll do another one.

Kat, you are still my stamp goddess.

[prettylily]

Thank you Lisa & De Villo.  Bookmarked the Fluxfest site. 

[cheryl penn]

Great blog De Villo -  I had often found Jim Dine's connection between word and image very inspiring - time to re-reference this - I had forgotten - thanks for reminder.  Lisa, you sent the poster to the right person for sure :-) X

[Katerina Nikoltsou (MomKat)]

I heard great tales from friends who were able to stop by the Chicago FluxFest, and one kindly presented me with a FAB-full envelope with tags and stickers and artistamps fr0m various participants. Sloan, you have a stamp or two or sticker...that I sent , they are from the FluxFest. There is a Fluxus Chicago stamp that Adamandia made, and I used hers and mine for a mail art collage. Would that they do it again in Chicago...or Keith and Ruud organize one in Breda! That I would attend ;-)

[prettylily]

Great stamp.  I like it a lot.  Most of what I do is accidental and I don't like putting a label on myself.  It restricts me.

So maybe I am Fluxus now and again; by accident, not design.  You do some fine research, De Villo.  Keep it up and perhaps one day, I will understand just what Fluxus is.  Sure would love one of those Fluxus stamps though.

[De Villo Sloan]

TY - Sue and Skybridge.

 

In terms of fair and balanced coverage, I gather from things I read that the Fluxus identity with stamps is not 100% popular in that diverse community. There was a spat on one of the blogs with someone protesting that Fluxus was once experimental art and now it's all about stamps. You can draw your own conclusions. One of my favs, Mudhead (Chris Reynolds), is promoting this stamp and I find the message kinda ambiguous. No product promotion here, but FYI:

http://www.zazzle.com/fluxus_is_note_dead_its_a_possum_postage-1725...

 

 

[De Villo Sloan]

CB, our IUOMA founder Ruud Janssen does wonderful documentation of the Fluxus stamps as well as others. He circulates sheets that work like an add-and-pass to gather them. Here is one I received last year begun with Lisa Spathi and Ben Vautier. There are many, many more. It's a whole world.

[prettylily]

Always enjoy reading your informative blogs.  The mailart is TOP NOTCH too!

[Marie Wintzer]

Lisa's great FluXus Chicago stamp made me want to google FluXus stamps to see the collection. I found one of your blogs written a year ago with Katerina's FluXus Thess for example :-))  FluXus Midwest is a good one too. But it's a huge collection, much to see...

[De Villo Sloan]

Apparently, Skybridge. Yet another Person of Interest.

http://www.printeresting.org/tag/william-picasso-gaglione/