RECEIVED: New Directions in Sandpo from Marie Wintzer (Saitama, Japan)

[De Villo Sloan]

Mail-art by IUOMA member Marie Wintzer (Saitama, Japan)

 

April 20, 2011 - Marie Wintzer (aka Marie Antonette, Cassandra, Cherry Blossom, CB, MW) is named in the original Sandpo Manifesto. She is an excellent friend who has pioneered many interesting mail-art concept pieces. I wondered when she would apply her mind and intellect to Sandpo.

 

For well over a month now, Marie's life has been seriously disrupted. She has faced extraordinary challenges. She lives and works in the Tokyo area. Along with millions of others, she has had to confront the consequences of natural and human-made disasters. At one point, Marie had to leave Tokyo to find a safer refuge in Hiroshima. Throughout these trials, she continued to create art and stay connected with the network. It is an amazing story.  

 

For way too long, an unopened and slightly bulging envelope sat in my in-box here at Sandpo Central. A posting by another IUOMA member made me realize Marie's missive was probably of great eimportance to The Movement. Indeed it is. You can see it above. I thought, at first, it was possibly part of this animal fur frenzy that is going around the network. It is not. This is Japanese sand sent through the mail and, thus, sandpo by Marie Wintzer. Here is her note:

 

 

No Marie, I don't think it is favoritism. A few of us at the IUOMA have had some fun with the idea of Toxic Sandpo or Nuclear Sandpo. This is in no way meant to trivialize the situation in Japan. Being in the Northeastern part of the United States, I have seen my share of nuclear spillage and leakage, on large and smaller scales.

 

My consciousness was very much formed in the context of the Three Mile Island accident. Although not nuclear, Love Canal is still vivid in my memory. So Marie and I had some chats about life in toxic environments. This said, and because of the concept of Biopoetry, I think it is important to consider the implications of a School of Toxic Sandpo. Marie can now add this to her impressive list of mail-art concept creations. Here is the historic envelope that carried Marie's first venture into Sandpo:

 

Flip:

 

 

Many thanks Cassandra! So glad all is well with you. Her blog is THE BEST!

 

http://mariesmailbox.blogspot.com/

[De Villo Sloan]

Kat, mailing sand - yes, a warning. I read an article by or about Cracker Jack Kid (now I can't find it!!!). This came up, or concerning dirt anyway. Apparently in mail-art history there have been other trends involving people mailing dirt to each other. Some countries are very particular about importing dirt from other countries. It does make sense. Maybe I shouldn't worsen it by adding the asemic biohazard sticker on things I send to Marie. It's a bit sad because I admire Marie's minimalism in this piece - just sand in a bag.

[Katerina Nikoltsou (MomKat)]

She is sand poet Cherry Blossom!

Even hard (...from glue or from moisture?), sand-in-a-bag is very new-wave sandpo! However, as Helen Amyes in Australian informs us: we CANNOT SEND real sand to her. Postal authorities will confiscate it...as a threat to the environment (Good topic, today being Earth Day!) Sand in Australian is unique , as is most of the environment  there, and cannot risk getting "foreign" elements, germs. viruses, etc. and causing a catastrophic imbalance in nature.

You see, sand is very delicate matter ;-)

Don't let it out-of-the-bag!

 

 

[De Villo Sloan]

Oh, and in trying to list all Marie's mail-art names, I forgot she's also known as Toxis Riding Hood, although I think DW has shortened that already to Toxic Marie. So, Marie, who are you?

[De Villo Sloan]

Bifidus affirms it, Marie. Please do not worry about how it looks; it's more on the conceptual side anyway. All sandpoets should be beholden to you for yet another Great Leap Forward.

[Bifidus Jones]

great blog Even messed up Marie's work is brilliant

[Marie Wintzer]

Hmmm, better but it still looks kinda yacky. I don't think it's your scanner though. It's like a vacuum packed soup gone bad :-(( oh well, doesn't matter, it wasn't supposed to be "beautiful" anyway. Arigato....

[De Villo Sloan]

Cassandra, the Ministry of Fun takes your comments very seriously. I re-scanned:

I'm afraid it's not a huge improvement. But, you know, it's sand-in-a-bag, a sandbag. Your mail-art did not get wet to my knowledge. I have not opened it, but areas of the sand have indeed hardened, like concrete, I can feel it with my hands. Did you let it dry?

[Marie Wintzer]

Mail is soooooo fast these days (except towards NY state, don't know why), you two got it so quickly, great! Thanks Kat and Cheryl!

Sloan, I don't know what happened with this piece, it looks like there has been a meltdown. Did it get wet? :-((

Anyway, your blog is great as usual, thank you!

[Katerina Nikoltsou (MomKat)]

Cherry Blosom sent cherry blossoms to Greece...no toxic raditation detected...just elegant beauty! Thank you Marie!

Excellent blog dear sir!

[cheryl penn]

Great blog - as the fellow recipient of toxic soil, I am happy to report no unusual side affects as yet. None from the well documented that is.  Marie - your other toxic material arrived yesterday - o my - you're in a league of your own S.P.