RECEIVED: SPECTACULAR Mail-Art Catalog Featuring IUOMA Members from Grigori Antonin (Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA)

[De Villo Sloan]

 

Jean Genet mail-art show catalog including work by IUOMA members. The show was curated by Grigori Antonin, and he wrote and produced the catalog.

 

February 8, 2011 - Grigori Antonin (a former IUOMA member) sent me a copy of the wonderful catalog he produced to document his show honoring the 100th birthday of French author Jean Genet. I believe Grigori first rolled out his plan for the show here at the IUOMA; it generated a great deal of interest. Being a Genet fan myself, I thought it was a tremendous idea. Here is Grigori's introduction in the catalog:

I won't change him, but Grigori is too humble. The latter part of his intro. is eloquent and expresses why Genet speaks to so many of us. Next is Angela Behrendt's (sewn) contribution:

Below are the contributors. I am thrilled to see so many IUOMA friends! This rivals John Held Jr.'s Black Mountain College Show (a little):

Amazing international participation. Next is a fantastic piece by our own Erni Baer:

Then two pages for Ka van Haasteren:

Then I really like this one, supporting Grigori's points about Genet, and putting him on the liberation front map. I was thinking Genet is sort of a Burroughs before Burroughs, if that works on the timeline. Or who was that guy? John Rechy = "City of Night." 

And I share facing pages with Katerina Nikoltsou! Grigori took my work even though it was the wrong size. The Flux medicine is by George Macunias. Wonderful textures by Serse Luigetti at the bottom:

Here's a colorful page that includes the call and is designed as a tribute to mail-art zines. Sometimes print is nice, and this catalog is very well-produced. Katerina's contribution is at the bottom of the page.

Drawings identified on the page:

More as above. Love the "Charming Boy":

And the back cover is a stunning piece by Erni Baer:

 

 

The scans display the images fairly well, but what you cannot see is that this is a CATALOG. When Grigori Antonin curates a show, he obviously takes it very seriously. Participants (and perhaps others) have excellent documentation as a result. The catalog came in this envelope:

Note in the upper-left of the envelope we see a logo for the Great Midwestern Correspondence School. One of those low-residency things? Just kidding, read that somewhere. This is tremendous news because the Midwestern U.S. is vital the mail-art network, and artists there producing tremendous work. Congratulation to Grigori Antonin for holding a superb show from concept to catalog. Check out Grigori "The Grigster" Antonin's blog:

http://www.no-john-rays.blogspot.com

 

MAIL-ART PSYCHIC

I

The moon will be in your sign meaning it won't be easy (but is it ever?). By the 9th she'll remind people about this became a way of labeling you. You're certain this person was female? If you work in a creative field this period will be twice as powerful. Lucky #s = 2, 14, 32, 33, 39, 43

 

Mail-art color of the day: turquoise (TYMW)

 

Mail-art words for the day: Theater of the Absurd

[De Villo Sloan]

Erni! I am a believer in your canon. You are Beat-Hamburg and thus of great import. Myself, why for nearly two years have I read and re-read the Dorn, Olson, and Spicer biographies with close attention to years in San Francisco before I was born trying to figure out what really happened as opposed to the myth of a particular decade? Because the situation is serious. Sure it's a long shot. Then show me something better. And there's always more than meets the eye. Just because it comes to mind, I found a little tidbit saying that at the time of the Gallery 6 reading a group of people burned a piano in the street outside. What's up with pianos? They pour water and beer in them. Smash them. Dump them in the ocean... Art?: Literature? They're already gone. Some people need to seriously get with the program. Not you, Erni, you are ahead of most of us.

[De Villo Sloan]

Hi again Erni, I haven't read Genet in any concerted way in years either and that by necessity has been in translation. The time I was most engaged was when exploring Theater of the Absurd and I plug more for Ionesco on that front. Grigori's show gives an occasion to look back on Genet, along with the million other things we need to read these days. 58 participants, very good. I noticed Angie Cope is there too. The composition of your collages is, as ever, superb.

[De Villo Sloan]

Hi Erni, the catalog was a complete surprise in my mailbox on monday. Total and complete kudos to Grigori. It's hard to call favorites with something like this, but your collage on the back cover is extraordinary. Needless to say, I am thrilled to have this documentation.

[Bifidus Jones]

This is a terrific exhibit for a complex, controversial, yet heroic person. The artists' contributions captured those aspects well.