RECEIVED: Mail-Art Words to Consider by Cheryl Penn (Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa)

[De Villo Sloan]

Mail-art by IUOMA member Cheryl Penn (Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa)

 

February 8, 2011 - Cheryl Penn is an excellent mail-art correspondent. I truly admire the way she constantly thinks about the future of the book and language itself, and this effort is reflected in her constantly evolving work. Somewhere back in time she sent me this piece that deals with the subject very directly. The image above is beautiful in its own right, but I think you need to look at all four panels of the piece to receive the full impact:

We depend so much on words. Like us, they have thin skins. Sometimes they are us. Sometimes they take on a life of their own. But trying to make them obey is an extraordinary difficulty. They have an extraordinary power to create entire worlds:

Drifting into the ether now, I recall someone or other who knew saying: "Modernism is about the failure of language." Wow. So by the time we arrive at postmodernism, we don't have a prayer. Everyday life, I'm afraid, bears the proof. Too often, words fail us entirely when they are all we really have to rely on. However, I don't think it is all doom and gloom when I see artists like Cheryl Penn doing exciting work in this area. I deeply appreciate this thought-provoking piece. And South Africa also has really nice stamps:

Many thanks, again

[De Villo Sloan]

Peace, accord, harmony, and mail-art. Looks like the band might get back together. MW - you no longer know above from below; I think there's a place for you on the bus. DW - I am so thrilled with your skills as a negotiator I am not going to delete your sorry butt into deep space.  

 

[Marie Wintzer]

I'm really bad at taking a compliment, but, OK, today I'll take all of the above. Or all of the below. Thank you people, so kind.

So CP-SA = CP-SA-GG? This is interesting....

[cheryl penn]

Hey De Villo - thanks for blogging :-) When I saw the blog I thought about some sort of Metalanguage Executioner.  All the little frail words like care and kind and peace and tranquil quivering in their thin skins in the cold.  Who would bear the wrath of big thick skinned words like anger and fierceness?  Lucky to say, with friends, fragile words always win :-) Dark Wall, I see you're back? :-) Yes, My Sweet Pea is a definite gem.

[De Villo Sloan]

BTW-MW - you are brighter than 3x me. boredom would not b an option which is not 2 say u are not perfectly right abt a partnership being a bad idea & i was joking anyway except 4 hoping to re-unite the glimmer twins. MW u r a gem.

[De Villo Sloan]

MW - u r very wise & i c a good friendship ahead 4 us. b4 we go back to art CP-SA - DV is a wreck w/o u pleez come & collect this baggage & sort it out somewhere so u can finish your projects & get back 2 mail-art.

[Marie Wintzer]

DW-CLP, I was contemplating, but my people said you are way too quick-witted for me. I couldn't keep up with you and you would get bored and it would all end up in shambles.

[De Villo Sloan]

its not funny. its a train wreck. but ya know i could have my people call yer people

[Marie Wintzer]

I'm having a laughter attack....

[De Villo Sloan]

i heard they had 'creative differences' & hes saying hes leaving & shes saying shes leaving & theyre like racing each other to c who can hit the delete button fastest. butt its just rumors. MW - we'd probly be good glimmer twins. with yer talent u could carry both of us. i could be like yer manager or something 

[Marie Wintzer]

Because there's another Glimmer Boy? :-o