Digital Mail Art by Carl Baker (Peterborough, Ontario, Canada)

[De Villo Sloan]

Image-text by IUOMA member Carl Baker (Peterborough, Ontario, Canada)

November 4, 2015 - I invited Canadian visual poet Carl Baker to send me some work that would give a sense of what he has been doing recently, and I received these seven scans that I am thrilled to be able to share with you.

In addition to simply appreciating and enjoying these pieces, I find it an occasion to comment upon the digital/snail mail dichotomy. Carl Baker, for instance, seamlessly uses both modes to share his work. For example, I received all seven pieces via email (thus it might be considered email art); yet some of the pieces, Carl Baker tells me, have been circulated in hard copy form via snail mail.

Image-text piece by Carl Baker using appropriated material from a  road atlas

Most of the work you see posted on my blogs arrives via snail mail, and I certainly encourage “traditional” mail art. Yet I have no bias against e-communication and genres of digital art. Those are posted and archived as well. Many mail artists, Moan Lisa (Iowa, USA) for example, experiment with and write about exchange methods they call E-Mail Art and Digital Mail Art.

What puzzles me most when it comes to this topic is the hysteria that can still be ignited when mail artists discuss digital communications. After 20 years, dire pronouncements are still made concerning the death of mail art due to the internet. In my view, the internet is stimulating a mail art renaissance. Mail artists – such as veterans like Carl Baker – have adapted adeptly to functioning simultaneously in both worlds. I admit hardcore Luddites who only use the postal system are a distinct minority. Of course, I have never been a proponent of mail art as the preservation of primitive technology nor of making a fetish of the postal system. Mail art is primarily about art and the network. I do observe, especially when it comes to art, humans value the “authentic” and value having a “real” work of art to have and hold rather than electrical impulses or computer code. Mail art fulfills that desire.

Linocut by Carl Baker

Turning to the work of Carl Baker rather than the mode of communication, I note that he has expressed skepticism concerning the terms “visual poetry” and “asemic writing.” This, no doubt, has been a challenge to the many publishers of his work because he is an acknowledged master of both modes. The works presented to you here certainly have (what would be considered by many viewers) asemic elements.

Deepest thanks to Carl Baker!

[Terry Owenby]

Beautiful work!

[De Villo Sloan]

Thx Fike, I understand. The truth of the matter is that Carl Baker is polite when I apply terms such as "asemic" and "vispo" to his work. He sent me a message some time ago explaining he doesn't appreciate a lot of the current jargon, if I remember. So I'll do my best to avoid dragging his work into what is escalating into the Great There Were Parts I Did Not Understand Trashemic Jello Wrestling Competition & Greased Pig Tractor Pull.

I don't mean you, Fike, in particular. Generally there is this cosmic conversation across the airwaves about this asemic thing. You should hear (my ol' pal) Pete Spence rant about it. Maybe you have. It's probably good for everyone to weigh in on the subject.

Anyway, people have been praising Carl Baker on FB as well, and it came up that jw curry's zine Industrial Sabotage can be found online. Carl has been there, and it's one of the great, classic zines. Have a look, although for some be cautious as Industrial Sabotage was "underground" at one point and there is content some might consider disturbing:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/48593922@N04/sets/72157632974948523/

[Ficus strangulensis]

Not meant as a criticism and esp. not as a negative criticism but rather as an expansion into my way of seeing,

"asemic elements" could be stated as "There were parts I did not understand." which is VERY often my 'take' on poetry/vispo/etc.po

[Richard Canard]

Oh, that?  I just traced that off some stencil.

[De Villo Sloan]

Thx Carmela, great to hear from you! I agree. Carl is a fine artist/poet whether we call it vispo, asemic, collage, etc.

Richard, fortunately I have one of your asemic pieces you did before you disavowed "The Movement." Did you see that message that was circulating for a while" "Traitor! You left Fluxus!"? Everyone please note this is an asemic piece by Richard Canard.

[Carmela Rizzuto]

Hi De Villo--your posting of Carl's imaginative works is greatly appreciated. Meaning and craft are so evident regardless of the medium in which he choses to work. Your thoughts on digital/virtual vs 'hold-in-your-hand' works in are right on target. Respect for all media is my mantra.

[Richard Canard]

04.11.15 Dare De Villo S., ...visually stimulating ... even the the black & white stuff ...as a result of your detailed discussions of the asemic,  I have finally come to the conclusion that I really don't care for asemic poetry--especially if I have to read it. Ave uh nez dae. Richard C.