Comment
Actually when there is no return address, it is a very generous and self-less form of mail art,
as the artist is willing to share and give-a-gift without wishing anything in return. True, it is
not an "exchange" but it is a way to spread art in the postal network. A classic example is the
mail art cards we have received from Atte Ourie in Helsinki, Finland:
mysterious, yes, but very creative and inspiring.
And consider that there may be practical reasons for no return address, as the person may not have a permanent address?, no mail box? in hospital? or other health center? or prison? or simply forgot to add the address sticker or it fell off ? all is possible :-)
As for the address, I never copy it from the mail-art I receive. I always get it from IUOMA. It’s a problem for me when members send their address in a message because I delete my messages, so I have to ask them again or ask a helpful friend.
In 40 years of may mailarting, I received 4 or 5 times pieces without return address, not outside nor inside shown. In all cases, that was the particular and distinctive desire of the sender to send me ``something`` yet they did not bother to write their address. So, of course, I never send them anything back. Anonymous sending is special kind of boring, and pretentious BS that may happen from time to time, from ``artists`` - so do not worry, you do not have any obligation to send them back anything. It was not difficult to write the address, simply they didn`t want. I don`t know what did you receive. Yet every time i did receive something without return address , it was a total BS or semi-BS.
It is the best to advise: do not send anything without return address, for many reasons it is:
a) annoying
b) pretentious
c) inappropriate and selfish
d) all above intertwined one-way communication,
thus annuling anything good in that particular doing.
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