Visual poetry & asemics by meeah Williams (NY, USA) & Michael Orr (Georgia, USA) + a Dark wall mail-art mystery

[De Villo Sloan]

Mail-art by IUOMA member meeah Williams (Brooklyn, New York, USA)

August 20, 2013 - I am thrilled to share with you this fantastic visual poetry with asemic writing sent by new friend meeah Williams in Brooklyn. meeah has been posting often literary, often witty and always insightful blogs at the IUOMA. Obviously blessed with a natural curiosity and inquiring intellect, she has been digging into mail-art history.

She has been discovering the various obscure forms and practices that flourish in the network but are little known elsewhere. These include asemics, concrete poetry, visual poetry, haptic poetry, object poetry and the general tendency to work with found materials, manifested recently in Trashpo. (Not to mention numerous visual art practice derived from DaDa and Fluxus.)

meeah is a quick study, indeed, as I understand she has not previously worked with these forms in any conscious or concerted way. The work above synthesizes text, image and shape as well asemic symbols into a fascinating field composition that displays a formal structure. This is a great example of a work that balances a certain degree of formalism with the organic. She also included a kind and compelling message on the reverse side:

meeah Williams raises numerous issues here that have relevance to many. At the core, I discern the beginning of a serious discussion about the role of the avant garde (or postavant as some have suggested) in challenging the constructs that enforce what is sometimes called "official" or "shared" reality and our role, or the lack of a role, in creating it.  

She notes the asemic phenomenon. While "asemic writing" is a difficult concept, people seem to produce it, especially in childhood. Yet meeah's missive deserves a personal response, which I shall write, as I have now shared her thoughts with you.

meeah Williams has a very interesting blog - Red Ignatz Society - that has something to do with pataphysics (or something). I am beginning to think she must be a former Neoist, resurfacing as so many of them seem to be these days:

http://walkingeyeball.blogspot.com/

Mail-art by IUOMA member Michael Orr aka Pone (Clarkston, Georgia, USA)

I very much enjoy being a member of the Fluxus Poetry group at Flickr, hosted by the great visual poet Litsa Spathi. Over the course of time, I became intrigued by the work of another member who goes by the name Pone or Cornpone; and as one thing leads to another, I discovered these are mail-art monikers used by Michael Orr of Georgia, who is also an active IUOMA member. (I can be confused by multiple identities too but staunchly support the practice.)

Many friends are familiar with Michael's awesome collage work, often done using the digital (or hybrid digital) medium, which gives the work sharpness and clarity even when incredibly complex. So I was thrilled to receive this piece, which I present as the first part of a two-part series. Here is the reverse side:

The distinction between collage and visual poetry can be murky territory. I think Michael Orr is producing excellent vispo, and this piece is a good example. The work incorporates text masterfully and establishes image-language relationships as well as visual syntax.

Some elements, the top of the piece for example, are at least asemic suggestive. The language exploration continues on the reverse side, including the excellent "There/There" mirror image-redundancy; that in itself is a nice minimalist, concrete poem.  Michael's work, as evidenced here, often has a self-referential quality: The text commenting on text concept so evident in postmodernism (pomo). Here is a detail scan:

For me, the frequent references to the eye in this fragment can, among other possibilities, cause the reader to meditate upon visual perception and the nature of "reading" itself in the context of the work.  Also included was this found bag, which the recipient might or might not associate with the collage:

And the reverse:

Michael Orr has certainly achieved a highly individualistic synthesis of the DaDa, Fluxus, Absurdist strain in mail-art. He also included an add-and-pass sheet:

I have seen this guy's pic before. Is this Ross Priddle? I used to think (seriously) it was Moan Lisa. Here is the reverse, ready for a contribution and to be mailed:

And all of this enclosed in a great envelope:

Many thanks to Michael Orr for this astonishing work (I am running our of complimentary words)!

See more work by Michael Orr at:

http://cornpone.tumblr.com/

Dark wall's mail-art mystery

Dark wall received some fantastic mail-art from a secret admirer for the MinXus-Lynxus blog. The question is, who made it?

[De Villo Sloan]

Thx for the great work, Michael. 

I agree. The multiple identities are more complicated now then when Neoism & the 14 Secret Masters of the World held sway over the network.

But it's all fun, and I really do look forward to contributing to that a&p.

[Michael Orr]

Oh, it is definately Ross.  I've sent out multiples of this one and will continue to make copies. Another thing, I think that Moan Is now officially Maria Morisot. Who can keep up...

[Michael Orr]

Thanks for posting DVS! :D 

[De Villo Sloan]

Wow, Amy OK. So I'm calling it the "Priddle Riddle" add-and-pass. On FB, RP seems convinced I'm Moan Lisa. I did, unfortunately, used to think this was a Moan pic. (What a joker that Moan is, eh?)

Anyway, the point is, this looks fun. I will add to the one I have & send it along. 

Thanks again. 

[Amy Irwen]

[Amy Irwen]

I believe it is Ross...I added to a like piece that was going around..

[De Villo Sloan]

Hey! Glad you all like meeah's and Michael's work.

There is yet another mystery. Does anyone know - WHO is pictured in the add & pass Michael Orr sent me? I think it is Ross Priddle (many of you know his Bentspoon mail-art blog). However, I have seen this pic elsewhere on the net identified as Moan Lisa. I am just curious. Does anyone know who that guy is?

[Susan McAllister]

I do think his work is very well done. But I do see it as reflecting sexist stereotypes. But since he was born in 1935 I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt.

[De Villo Sloan]

meeah, I'll just settle for being "Straight Man" here. You're too good. I'll pitch 'em and you knock 'em out of the park. 

Susan, this mail-art had me looking at Ramos too. I was asking myself, "Is Ramos exploitive and re-enforcing gender stereotypes"? or is he reflecting back, hopefully in a thoughtful way, the mindless culture of consumerism and advertising. All I get is a blank mirror of ambiguity. Not work that I personally admire ultimately but I suppose I respect his talent. 

[Susan McAllister]

Thanks, DeVillo. His work is nice.