This group is for members to connect with other members who are willing to send and receive Add & Pass mailart. It is not project specific, but rather simply for finding individuals who are willing to receive and forward miscellaneous items. Please join and include your address. Feel free to add photos of the pieces.
Members: 158
Latest Activity: 3 hours ago
Hello,I was just wondering how likely it is to get an Add & Pass that you started returned to you in a finished state? I have initiated dozens, but have never seen them again! I started this one…Continue
Started by RUTH GILES. Last reply by Mim Golub Scalin Apr 12, 2023.
Hello,So, today I added my works on two Add and Pass sheet of paper that belong to someone in USA. I am now looking for two people whom I can pass along as I do not know who I should send these two…Continue
Started by Kiki. Last reply by Kiki Mar 19, 2023.
anyone looking to add to and pass. i can send you mailContinue
Started by G. Diaz. Last reply by G. Diaz Jan 23, 2023.
Anyone would like to add a piece to this? It's ready to be sent.Continue
Started by Gabija. Last reply by Gabija Nov 12, 2022.
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Hi Mim, yes, and you probably remember back before the DSF fakes. I think he was actually an IUOMA member at one point & was either kicked out or driven off the platform (which is incredibly unusual). There's a bizarre history going back several years.
Jenn, so sorry you attracted his attention. Gergels are very unusual in the network so I hope it doesn't tarnish your view of mail art.
Mail art is a genre where to an extent you become a public figure or persona. The established figures develop a trusting relationship with their audience. People build relationships over months and years. Again, "bad apples" don't survive long.
Mah Nu - I think you've come to the right place to get a grasp of how the network functions. The interesting things you are doing, like cassette culture, are genres that thrive in the Eternal Network. So I'm looking forward to seeing more of what you're doing.
Yeah, when I got into this in the late 70s (Lord, I'm old) there was downright pornography, violence, extreme politics & all forms of insanity in the mailbox (along with extraordinary art). The network - after all - was mainline counter culture in the beginning.
That's changed, of course. And in my decade at IUOMA we've - collectively - dealt with people freaking out over things that have shocked them in the mail. We've talked about it a lot, in fact. Ruud Janssen's concept of "unspoken rules" has worked surprisingly well.
When Ray Johnson was alive he was called in for questioning over some nudity in mail art someone received by accident. I don't remember the story completely but even bunny rabbit Ray was accused of being a pronographer.
You're are correct De Villo Sloan, Gergel is the bad apple for sure. I've been very fortunate not to experience others, even though I have all my information on my page.
He's not pranking, he's being dishonest.
Welp... DVS he apparently is still passing fake DSF stuff, I was passed some recently.
I have a lot of experience with “Gergel” and spoke privately with some of you about it but if you’re curious you can message me directly.
Thank you all very much for your feedback and advice... as a newer artist in this network, it means a lot to me... (and sorry for taking up so much space in this discussion on this matter). As an artist who appreciates erotic and unconventional work, I also know it is important to be sensitive and consensual with how the art engages others. He definitely seems like someone I do not have the interest or time to spend on... thanks again <333
My view is that Gergel is a menace.
Sometime last year he sent me FAKE add & pass sheets attributed to DSFCult & I almost blogged them but checked w/DSF who knew nothing about them & didn't want them published.
I get the prank thing in mail art but I believe this incident was different,
Mail art has very few "bad apples," but it is my personal view that Gergel is one of them.
Mah Nu, Gergel is a stalker and involves people who don't want to be involved, like the guy who's the director of the art museum. A guy I know, when I contacted him he said that Gergel was employed at the museum before he came there, what capacity he didn't say, and that he was disguntled.
He also stalked a female mail artist last year and sent explicit mail art which she wasn't interested in. She had to close down her PObox. The last batch with the St.Pete's/Tampa postmark, with his tell-tale markings, I was the first recipient so they went into the "file" next to my studio table. If they'd have had other participants, I'd have sent them to Josh.
Speaking of Josh Ronsen's project: I've received two of those little zines that he made from add-and-pass sheets and they are great!
Whenever I get a sheet that looks full but I can't figure out who started the add-and-pass, I send it to Josh.
I recycle those, too.
If I remember correctly, his last name is "Gergel."
I've also received envelopes containing sheets like those from Tampa/St. Pete with a "Shirley Gergel" return address. I suspect that those are really from Dennis G.
More for the recycle bin.
Glad to have my instinct confirmed.
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