Asemics by Jack Oudyn (Ormiston, Queensland, Australia)

Jack O - 11.17.2014 - 1

Mail-art by IUOMA member Jack Oudyn (Ormiston, Queensland, Australia)

November 18, 2014 - I believe Jack Oudyn is making original and important contributions in the spirit of the spectacular vispo and related forms that have originated in Australia and made it a global center for such activity; Pete Spence, Tim Gaze, David Dellaforia and Chris Winkler come to mind immediately. Australian asemics and vispo have been circulated widely via the mail-art network for decades. Those from newer generations include Vizma Bruns and Helen Amyes. But Jack Oudyn is new to me, and I am very pleased to have found his work. So I sent mail-art to him hoping I could obtain some examples for the MinXus archives. I am extremely appreciative of this wonderful response. The top scan is a postcard-size work providing an excellent example of Jack Oudyn’s asemic writing. Next is collage:

Jack O - 11.17.2014 - 2

A kind message is on the reverse side:

Jack O - 11.17.2014 - 3

Following Trashpo etiquette, I included raw, found material in my missive to Jack Oudyn, thinking he might integrate it into his own work. I am thrilled to have received similar material from him that I will most certainly use:

Jack O - 11.14.2014 - 4

Jack Oudyn is very diverse in his artistic methods. He employs, in a seemingly effortless fashion, numerous avant tropes and strategies. I believe his overall aesthetic involves Modernist fragmentation and ambiguity. For instance, he included another asemic work grounded in photography and found material (strikingly different in approach than the opening piece) that maintains the stylistic consistency I see running across his work:

Jack O - 11.17.2014 - 5

Only asemic writers with the panoramic vision of people such as John M. Bennett (USA), Guido Vermeulen (Belgium) and Cheryl Penn (South Africa) use such a wide definition of asemics. The envelope:

Jack O - 11.14.2014 - 6

The reverse:

Jack ) - 11.17.2014 - 7

Thanks again to Jack Oudyn, and I look forward to more exchanges. And don't miss Jack's blog:

http://jackoudyn.weebly.com/

Views: 184

Tags: Sloan, asemic-writing, vispo

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Comment by De Villo Sloan on November 19, 2014 at 6:15pm

That's great, BG. And glad you found the blog, Jack.

Comment by Jack Oudyn on November 19, 2014 at 7:54am

Thank you De Villo for your kind and insightful words

Comment by borderlinegrafix on November 18, 2014 at 10:43pm

Jack is my friend, but we have not exchanged yet.  I was waiting for him, but now I will not wait.

Comment by De Villo Sloan on November 18, 2014 at 8:59pm

Wow, two other Jack fans - just like that!

I have to admit, I sent Jack mail-art with the main purpose of wanting to get my hands (literally) on some of his work. I am a big fan of his work I have seen posted at the IUOMA.

There are certainly centers of vispo activity in the world like Latin America and Russia. (That doesn't mean great work isn't being done other places - like Finland and I'm not just playing to Carina.) I've always thought of Australia as one of those centers, mainly because I was so impressed with Pete Spence back in the day. But there are so many other examples. I named Vizma Bruns and Helen Amyes. Then I'm like...duh....who am I forgetting from Australia? And that Rob guy who was in the book projects. He's not here anymore.

Anyway, Jack seems to be yet another shining light.

Comment by Carina on November 18, 2014 at 8:51pm

Jack's work is great! Love the variety of pieces and stitches.

Comment by Rebecca Guyver on November 18, 2014 at 7:41pm

When I got my piece from Jack I was bowled over by beauty, wit and its range, a different range… he knows who he is communicating with.  Great stuff!

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