Mail Art Call For The Absurd...

[Mark R Loveland II]

Please send absurd mail art to P.O. Box 2373 Spring Valley, CA 91977

This is my first project an I am definitely looking forward to to seeing what happens.

Deadline will be December 31st 2010.

No fee, no jury, no returns.

Any postal object, any technique.

Will be documented at http://mrklvlnd.wordpress.com/

Thanks,

       Mark

[Katerina Nikoltsou (MomKat)]

This is ABSURD :-)
I am sending this very "typical" clean, clear,
addressed envelope...
(but you should see the back side!)

[Valentine Mark Herman]

Bonjour Mark!

I don't want to be too pedantic, but -- and going back to the earlier part of this discussion -- can you give me a definition of 'Absurd Art'?

My Oxford dictionary defines 'absurd' as "highly unreasonable, illogical or inappropriate", which is OK providing that you can define something as "reasonable, logical or appropriate" (to what?).

I don't think that much of what our Mail Art community does is 'absurd' in this sense. It is different (to 'conventional' art, whatever that is), yes. Sometimes it is, well, silly. Most of the time it is just great fun. And that is why I am involved in it...as well as the fact that the IUOMA community is great fun, too.

Have you rejected any of the stuff sent to you as not being absurd, or not being absurd enough, or for any other reason, or do you accept anything that comes your way -- in which case everything is absurd, or, by the same reasoning, nothing is absurd. But then the debate has come full circle, which might be the logical (sic) absurd outcome. Regards, Val

[Mark R Loveland II]

I reject nothing. Just haven't gotten much. Got a little more to scan and post. Being new to the mail art community, I can't judge what the community does or doesn't do. I would say that the definition you have provided seems to somehow lack the humorous element I am going for. Think free association to the word. I don't want to know what I think,feel, believe is absurd, I want to know what you think, feel, believe is absurd. Whatever anyone sends me, knowing the theme, will be accepted. I could have chosen "humor" as the theme but that seemed too broad. I would recommend not to overthink it. Or take it too seriously.

"I never approve, or disapprove, of anything now. It is an absurd attitude to take towards life. We are not sent into the world to air our moral prejudices. I never take any notice of what common people say, and I never interfere with what charming people do"
-Oscar Wilde

“If at first, the idea is not absurd, then there is no hope for it.”
-Albert Einstein

"Absurdity is what I like most in life, and there's humor in struggling in ignorance. If you saw a man repeatedly running into a wall until he was a bloody pulp, after a while it would make you laugh because it becomes absurd."
-David Lynch

[Valentine Mark Herman]

Dear Mark,
Thanks for this reply..and the quotes. I think the key word in your note is 'humour' (and, of course, having a sense of one).
I'm a firm believer that art should be 'fun', and if it's humorous too, then all the better.
I'm thinking along similiar lines to you, I believe: look at my web-site www.val-herman-art.eu under the section Stamp Art, then Silly Stamps.
I'll try and send you something that fits under the general categories of humour/fun/absurdity we have...but I can't exchange quotes with you just now, because I can't find my favourite 'Monty Python' one which is relevant to this.
Bye!! Val

[Mark R Loveland II]

Cool. Sounds like you follow me. I await your piece.
-Mark

[Carol M. Pett]

Hope you got the "Spring Valley" absurd card I sent. It was a lark!

[Mark R Loveland II]

I will check tomorrow. I've been busy and haven't been able to make to my po box in a week. Hopefully it will be full of fun! :)