Brain Cell - Ryosuke Cohen

[Ruud Janssen]

What are your thoughts about this project? Would be interesting to know what you think. Do you participate. Since when, How much times. Do you know the concept? Will also try to publish a few samples here (or others can help me with that)

[Ruud Janssen]

always good to realize our history.....

[Ruud Janssen]

you never know with number one if there will be more. It turned out to be a full scale project....

[Berube]

WOW!!!

[Leslie Wilson-Rutterford]

This a fantastic bit of mail art history. Congratulations on having it and being part of this project from the beginning! Nice one (thumbs up!). And thanks for including my Brain Cell #702 on your features page!

[Ruud Janssen]

[Ruud Janssen]

you are mentioned on the list, so the mail just didn't arrive.

[Oh Boy]

Even if you did not send an image for the purpose of participating in the Brain Cell, Ryosuke will lift something from your postcard or letter. It might just be an image of your return address.

He creates 150 sheets each time.
There are 60 or more participants.
The extra sheets are used in his body and face paintings or
sent out to past participants as a reminder he is thinking of them.

He also sends extra sheets to mail art projects.
There was one project about socks.
The sheets really did not fit the theme, but in the spirit of Mail Art,
they were included, documented to looks like socks.

When he gets 'Add & Pass" pages, he adds strips torn from the Brain Cells
and pastes them to the page before randomly sending them on.

While he teaches art to children, it is my understanding that he does this project by himself whith out any help.

He creates a new Brain Cell every 10 days.
You should send him something every 10 days.

[Jennie Hinchcliff]

I have participated in Ryosuke's project approximately 10 times since 2002 -- usually I send along 150 artistamps printed on sticker paper so that they can be attached to whichever "issue" Ryosuke chooses. I really love the idea behind this project (the notion that BrainCell is a constantly evolving thing and always changing, depending on who participates) and admire the fact that he creates an edition of 150. Does anyone know how they are produced? I thought that someone had told me they are partially printed using a "Print Gocco" machine, but maybe this is not true?...

Sometimes, as a personal challenge, I will send mail art to each person on the included address page. Creating 60 different pieces of mail art means I have to think bit differently, change the way that I work and produce mail artwork. I feel that is truly the essence of the project in action: changing one's organic and natural actions to grow and create.

[Francis Van Maele]

yes Ryosuke's Braincell are printed with a Gocco printer ..
I visited Ryosuke in Osaka in 2005 .. after that he sent me a small Gocco printer ..
as there were no instructions and no colours I could never find out how it works.
Mark Pawson from UK is a big expert in Gocco.. he told me it's really easy to use.
Ryosuke makes also profiles and body shapes on his posters. He made one for me..
He glues on an other thicker paper about 20 or 30 posters.. he askes you to lay on it .. he designs the contour of your body very presicely.. then he applies a tar-like black colour on the outside of the contour.. the black colours seems to be repelled by the gocco colours, so the rubberstamps reappear delicately thru the black paint .. a great result

[Francis Van Maele]

yes that's it .. but the whole body profile is a 2 meters high poster

[Francis Van Maele]

i'm now in seoul.. will be back home on monday.. will post it then

[Francis Van Maele]

here is the 2 meter high poster