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]

MW - could not say it better & i think dv is saying he wants the glimmer twins back 2gether but doesnt know how to ask

[Marie Wintzer]

A great blog for a great mail, as usual! The colors of words. The power and fragility of words. Hmmm, I like it!