Visual Noise Decomposition by GX Jupitter-Larsen (Hollywood, California, USA)

[De Villo Sloan]

Mail-art by GX Jupitter-Larsen (Hollywood, California, USA)

December 8, 2014 - I am absolutely floored and, needless to say, elated to have found mail-art from none other than the GREAT GX Jupitter-Larsen waiting for me in the po box. Since I have been running an informal survey of West Coast USA mail-artists for several months, the arrival of this work is downright fortuitous.

For those who have travelled the long & dusty trail a while or have experience in underground and avant movements – noise music for example and in particular The Haters – GX Jupitter-Larsen needs no introduction. For those just finding their sea legs in this milieu, familiarity with the awesome accomplishments of GX Jupitter-Larsen is highly recommended. He is not just a mail-artist; he is a network architect, conceptualist, performance artist, musician, novelist, filmmaker and more. Especially in the 1980s and early 90s, just prior to the rise of the internet, the mail-art network and alternative music were intertwined. Industrial music is one form that rose out of the network in addition to all sorts of post-Punk manifestations. I see Genesis P-Orridge (Throbbing Gristle, Psychic TV) and GX Jupitter-Larsen (The Haters) as having similar relationships to music and the network (although many would no doubt disagree violently).

I do not have the same longtime familiarity with the full range of GX Jupitter-Larsen’s work in the same way I have knowledge of the Titans of Neoism, so this is partially a learning experience for me as well. With GX Jupitter-Larsen, there is a lot of interesting terrain to cover. Luckily, there are plenty of net resources. You can start here as one general point of entry:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GX_Jupitter-Larsen

I have known of GX Jupitter-Larsen in the mail-art network for a long time. This mail results from a recent, chance encounter online via Joey Patrickt (Oakland, California, USA).

(Work by anonymous mail-artist. Photo courtesy of Joey Patrickt collection)

Joey Patrickt posted a scan of this piece by an anonymous mail-artist on Facebook. Without being able to articulate exactly why, I commented on how much I liked the work. GX Jupitter-Larsen liked it as well. So that encounter probably resulted in the mail-art I am displaying here. In actuality, there is no reason to believe that what GX Jupitter-Larsen sent is a "visual noise decomposition." I just wanted to highlight elements in his work and philosophy that I admire. For instance, his interest in decay has - I think - strong affinities to Gutai. The work he sent is, to my eyes, a wonderful piece of abstraction. Here is the reverse side:

Deepest thanks to GX Jupitter-Larsen for the FAB mail-art. I look forward to more exchanges and keeping current.

[De Villo Sloan]

That means a lot coming from you, Richard.

I suspect there are a few people on this site whose memories & knowledge are astounding. For whatever reasons, they're more reticent about sharing. My gushing, I think, stems from having spent years weaving in & out of m-a & frantically filling in gaps & blindspots. The most dangerous thing is contributing to misinformation.

For instance, I have seen work by GX Jupitter-Larsen for longer than I care to admit. Only now am I digging in & finding out who this person is & what he is all about. I hope there is some enthusiasm attached to belated discovery. Can I claim much expertise on industrial & noise music? Not really. I could be mixing apples & oranges in my assessment.

Thanks again.

[Richard Canard]

08.12.14 Dare De Villo S., You are becoming quite the scholar, or is that I am just now learning to read? I tend to enjoy & always learn (despite myself) from your observations. Richard