Received: Mailart from Julian Grant of the Chicago School - Division of the Surreal (USA)

[De Villo Sloan]

August 21, 2010 - Julian Grant's mailart arrived in New York this week. This is another item I have been eagerly anticipating this summer, and it was worth the wait. Julian is one of many mailartists I have met for the first time through the IUOMA. His blogging to share work he has received with us and his extraordinary talent have provided me with a role model. I first saw his amazing fish-man stamp on a weekend when I was glued to the screen watching work come online from my personal favs Litsa Spathi and David-Baptiste Chirot and thus somehow confused his fish image with an elephant, for which I am eternally apologizing. Julian, to me, is an accomplished master of many forms. His ability with stamps and stamping is predominant in this work I have received. Julian is teaching me that every aspect of the mail item can be utilized; the mundane can be elevated to art. There is a wonderful continuity of images and color across the print, envelope, and letter. Julian is adept with visual syntax. I also deeply appreciate the handwritten letter:

What strike's me about Julian's work is its connection to surrealism. To me, if it matters at all, a large number of mail artists seem to be working in an avant mode that has evolved through Da Da and Fluxus. Julian Grant evokes images that have the quality of dreams, that evoke in me the wonder of undiscovered worlds and make me see the real world a bit differently. His collages that I have seen here at the IUOMA have introduced me to something that seems akin to magic and cannot be adequately expressed in words by me. I was going to conclude with links to blogs that show Julian's work recently received by other IUOMA members, but I cannot get the links to work. With apologies, I have "appropriated" them:

By Julian Grant from IUOMA member Angie Cope's blog:

By Julian Grant posted by IUOMA member Karen Champlin:

By Julian Grant posted by IUOMA member Kris Naylor on her blog:

[Julian Grant]

Thank you so much for the comprehensive and flattering review of my work. As an artist working in multiple forms, I have come to MA as a student, a follower and a contributor. To be lauded in the same analysis with such masters of the form is quite unexpected and greatly appreciated. I so enjoy your work as well and your critical self reflection and astute analysis place you in a field of your own. My congratulations to you. Thank you for the time, care and grace. regards, JG