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Comment by Maria Gallardo on August 5, 2017 at 6:52am

As it seems to pertain to the current discussion. I want to clarify that in my case, I need to use a PoBox or all my inbound mail will be lost. Costa Rica has a very poor directions system (something like ''My home is from the Mango tree, that you find in the left corner of a (not) existing building that everyone knows it was there, 500 long meters counting on the right and a short block counting on the left, home with 2 stories, color white and bricks fence''). I meant, it is too risky, so I prevent any bad situation by having a box at my nearest postal office but my name is my real name and I use my own picture and I am on Facebook, Instagram and everywhere exactly the same :-).

I must say, all this conversation has opened my eyes to things I did not know they existed. So much to learn!!

Thank you!

Comment by Katerina Nikoltsou (MomKat) on August 4, 2017 at 4:13pm

One joins IUOMA to exchange art via snail mail...

if you personally do not wish post your mailing address,

then you can search other members' profile pages for their addresses

and send to them, but placing your return address on your mail art...

in order for the recipient to reply to you ...to "exchange" duh!

Personally, I make "friends" only with those who have sent me mail art

and their address, it is a sure sign that they are mail artists and want to

have an exchange via the mail.

Never will I email them to get their address

(and for them to get my email info, oh, no, no, no!)

Strange names, and faux identity does not bother me

(...me as MomKat, for some time, for various reasons)

but if their mail art is NOT in my mailbox, with their mailing address,

then I do not need to concern myself with their identity,

their reason for being here at IUOMA,

no need to join their blogs or their groups...

It is good to see a "thank you" mail art received message, or blog,

but it need not be here on-line, you can reply "thank you"

 to mail art received on the mail art you send to them...that is perfectly fine.

And as Ruud, moderator here at IUOMA says:

Comment by Heleen de Vaan on August 4, 2017 at 10:54am

I totally understand when someone doesn't want to write his/her private address on the public internet, there are good reasons to do not. And besides providing it via email (I agree with Mim, I seldom email to ask for a snail mail address), there are better ways to disclose such addresses: people have sent me mail art with a return address only on the envelope, not on the world wide web, and this way I could reply.
But I don't understand when someone doesn't want to disclose his/her snail mail address privately to mail artists and meanwhile join a mail art network, the example DVS mentioned here.

Comment by Mim Golub Scalin on August 4, 2017 at 5:52am

A nom-de-mail has been a thing for some people. I don't mind that, but the not posting ones address doesn't make sense. I never email anyone for a postal address, either. Make art, mail art.

Comment by Heleen de Vaan on August 4, 2017 at 1:15am

As far as I know, in the early years (let's say, the eighties) several mail artist used nicknames. I started joining the network around 2009 and still there are several mail artists whose real names I don't know. But at least we exchange mail art.

I agree that it is, in my words and eufemistically spoken, at least 'weird' that one who doesn't want to unveil his/her snail mail address to mail artists, joins an international mail art network.
Even though the IUOMA is an artist-friendly, open social medium, I think non-mail-artists in fact don't belong here and should not join a mail art network if they don't plan to send out nor receive any mail art. There are many other social media where non-mail artists can lurk and can do their non-postal performances.

Comment by De Villo Sloan on August 3, 2017 at 11:42pm

Well said, Carl Baker. I'm not trying to make a dead horse drink.

But I second your concern about people on the site using a fake identify who will (1) not disclose their identities when asked privately and (2) will not disclose a snail mail address.

Why join a mail art site?

This is a relatively new phenom at IUOMA. Ultimately, there are very few of them.

Comment by carl baker on August 3, 2017 at 6:00pm

DVS,

thank u for that perspective, very helpful, i do not use facebook and i'm very guarded about my privacy online. ok about having a persona but be open about yr real identity. oh, its performance? that can be very tedious and kinda childish. people should know this about mail-art, stick to doing mail-art, actually making something and posting it via the mail service.that bothers me when no actual mailing address is supplied on their homepg. enuf said>>>>>>

Comment by De Villo Sloan on August 3, 2017 at 4:04am

Hi Terri, what I say is just my opinion as an IUOMA member, like everybody else. This isn't my site, I'm not a moderator, admin etc.

Anyway, this issue of multiple identities has been discussed (passionately) on the platform before. Here are some related causes because IUOMA is just another social media site but also because it's unique:

1) On any social media you get people using fake identities. (Try being an admin of a Facebook group and you'll know). I think Ruud keeps track of membership pretty well.

BUT

(2) Mail art has always involved people creating persona. Some of the great mail artists have created characters for themselves. This worked well in the postal system. In the digital world, it's led to some misunderstanding. But I think there is a greater acceptance at IUOMA of persona.

(3) I was told the Fluxus people on the platform play "Fluxus games" related to identities. (whatever that means)

(4) Some people consider they are doing online performance art here. Don't laugh. A LOT of people are doing this. So you get into issues of self expression.

(5) Neoism is a movement connected to m-a based in alternative and shifting identities: Monty Cantsin, Luther Blissett, Karen Eliot. Those are Neoist multiple user identities. A bunch of Neoists are lurking here doing their obscure "performances." There's way more than meets the eye going on.

I'm not suggesting the site is unsafe. I've been here since 2010 and I think it's safe. There just have been a lot of people not using their real names.

Lately there are members who have engaged in private discussions with me. When I ask who they are, they will not reveal their identities. They won't engage in snail mail because they do not want to disclose an address. Personally, I find that a little off-putting. Once people become m-a friends, you usually learn who they are.

Comment by Terri Jones on August 3, 2017 at 3:20am

I had no idea people were actively using 2+ identities on here. What's the point of doing that?? Secretly, I mean.

Comment by De Villo Sloan on August 2, 2017 at 11:25pm

not goy! guy! Typo

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