Striking Trashpo from Janine Weiss (Boudry, Switzerland)

[De Villo Sloan]

Mail-art by IUOMA member Janine Weiss (Boudry, Switzerland)

May 23, 2013 - Janine Weiss sent a fantastic envelope brimming with art. Because she relies so heavily on found material, I tend to think of her work as Trashpo, although the definition applied to Janine's art does not entirely hold.  The symbols and references here are deeply cryptic. 

The piece above is adorable, yet made as it is with a match box accompanied by a single match, is the role of the recipient to burn the work?  This certainly speaks to the temporal, ephemeral nature of art or perhaps life itself. I will refrain from burning this wonderful piece. Here is the reverse side:

Janine's trash person is clearly made with a sense of fun and play. Yet there is also a seriousness that emerges as it is placed in relation to other work included in the envelope:

Perhaps only the result of pure chance, I have noted a (small) surge in flattened can art lately. We note recent work by Erni Baer (Hamburg, Germany) and Richard Canard (Illinois, USA). Yet what a surprise and delight to receive a crushed can from Janine Weiss! She has decorated the work a bit more than the usual minimal approach taken by others.

From what I understand, the customary practice of finding material in the streets so familiar to trash poets in the USA is a bit more difficult in Switzerland. People are more conscious of recycling, waste and blighting the environment. Swiss Trashpo, if this work is an indication, has a distinct identity among the Trashpo of nations across the globe. Yet, as suggested by the match in the earlier work, there is also a curious reference to destruction in this work.

As if to offer a clue to this cryptic maze, Janine included a sealed envelope. Of course, I did open that:

From this emerged more specific facts of a life and a consolidation and strengthening of images:

And just as serious expressions begin to emerge, the flow of images and words retreat back into play and ambiguity like a conversation where one haltingly reveals oneself in a guarded way.

Then a most serious return to huge issues like birth and death, the play of words: Jan(ine) and Jan(uary). I believe this work by Janine is by far the finest work I have seen from her. Working, literally, from scraps around her she creates a truly human expression that emerges  and then recedes without false closure into the emptiness of the material: profoundly moving.

Deepest thanks for this wonderful work, Janine.

[DKeys]

beautiful! I prefer the French version!

[De Villo Sloan]

Isn't that completely adorable? I do love it. Forgot to include the reverse side:

[DKeys]

Fro  IUoMa  xou!     PRIORITY

Ha Janine Weiss Mail

HAaddoz 42 art my heart

Ha  & @ To Sloan De Villo  o  o  o  o  o  o

les  W de my heart big love

W lalalalal

Wohner W   sweet

ZuhausW Smile Mon 13021 usa

SOUTH darling Usa

NY   ZZZWWWMMXZZZZZZ

[De Villo Sloan]

DK, Swiss Trashpo is unique. Right, aluminum can art is worth at least 5 cents. I guess it would be too expensive to ask people to mail junked cars.

Janine, thanks for filling in the story. Why couldn't I make the association between the matches and the cigarette box? Must be the PMM exposure. 

[DKeys]

wonderful!!!  The trashperson's legs look like a key. I see Janine is on board with DKult taking stock out in Aluminum. Swiss AL is especially valuable.  Lucky haul for you DVS.

[De Villo Sloan]

Janine, I thought the windmill was a flower. This shows you how people interpret things. The work is very cryptic, and it seems to me it tells a story. I understand better now that I know about the windmill.

Chère Janine, je crois que c'est le meilleur art que vous m'avez envoyé. J'ai dit que le moulin était une fleur. L'art est très énigmatique. Je savais qu'il y avait une histoire. Je suis toujours pas capable de lire toute l'histoire. Je vous remercie.