Mail art projects

[Dimitra Papatheodorou]

I would like to ask whether the mail artists organising a mail art project usually send a reply to the artist who takes part in the project? Is their reply a mail art, a simple e-mail or no reply at all. Is there a documentation? What is your experience so far?

[Carmela Rizzuto]

Dimitra

There are no set rules if you are hosting a mail art call. BUT participants like to have their mail art documented in some way, either in a printed list sent through snail mail, or online. Some organizers set up a blog for documenting incoming mail art sent in answer to the 'call'--but do this in advance and post it in the 'call'. 

Sending mail art in return for what is received is a nice gesture, but if you receive hundreds this can be a real burden. At least post a 'thank you' online here at iuoma for our members. You can ask for an e-mail address from participants, again in advance when you post the 'call'. 

If there is an exhibition, post the announcement postcard or flyer, as part of the online documentation. Some organizers also post photos of the event and the mail art displayed. You can look at the Blog section on Mypage  to see how I documented my 'call' last year. I only had iuoma participants and, therefore, posted entries in My Photos. 

FYI: I tend to be particular, so you don't need to follow my example.

Good Luck!

[Ruud Janssen]

all you can think of happens in mail-art network. So all possibilities you mentioned I have encountered.....

[Dimitra Papatheodorou]

Thanks for your answers. I reply with original art works so far.

[Richard BAUDET]

Here is one example!

I had a mailart call with the  theme "numbers" from Nov 2012 to April 2013 ...... I received more than 180 envelopes=30 nationalities !!!!  Then I made 170 paper documents ( 8 pages with colors, printed  2sides) and

sent to each participant ,and free !       Fortunately, as my wife said...I don'tsmoke nor drink !

Another examples ;  I answered to two following  projects called   - "art gothique" in France,and

" heroes never died " in France  ..in the two cases I received a nice paper catalogue ....They were sponsorised by the City Hall...of their town.

[Mary Anne]

A rather belated reply but . . .

First, there are no rules and, as Rudd says below Everything happens.  there are as many ways of documenting a project as there are projects or contributors and I dare say it is inevitable that not everyone will be pleased.  As for me; documentation in the form of a list or booklet or some such used to be important, back in the day, as a way of seeing other people's work and getting new contacts but I dare say that the internet has supplanted that role for most (but not me).  i do get irritated by galleries and institutions who organise mailart shows but only document on-line.  it suggests to me that they are more interested in a cheap exhibition than the ideas involved. (rant rant).  My personal advice is to send out (or not) what you would like to receive if you had been a contributor (bearing in mind that it will help with the next project to have happy bunnies out there); also don't wait until the last minute before preparing any documentation but keep  up over the weeks. Planning ahead always makes things easier.  If it is a chore; don't do it.  I am working on some documentation at the moment, that will go out in the new year.  It is very expensive but wildly exciting at the same time!