From "Footprint Series" by Helder Coelho Dias (Coruche, Portugal) + Mail-Art All Star footprints

[De Villo Sloan]

Mail-art by IUOMA member Helder Coelho Dias (Coruche, Portugal)

June 19, 2013 - I received this absolutely stunning piece from Helder Coelho Dias's "Footprint Series," which has already received praise at other mail-art venues. This is truly a mail-art gift beyond measure because Helder sent me the first work in the series. 

The foundation of the work is, of course, the impression of Helder's Coelho Dias's footprints on a phone book page. This is impressive in itself, I think, because he explores anti-art and found materials.

"Footprint Series" brings into question every conceivable element of traditional art. Rather than the use of his hands, his feet are the primary means of expression. The relationship of the body to the work of art is reconfigured, and there is a performance art aspect that extends the boundaries of the art. The placement of the work on the floor seems to question the exalted place and privileged position of painting. Many more interpretations must occur to viewers when they consider the conceptual aspects of the work. The reverse side offers documentation:

Yet there is much more to the work beyond the conceptual and anti-art levels. Helder Coelho Dias is a talented artist in the traditional realm as well. I think many would agree the work is aesthetically pleasing. The colours are luscious and subtle. His drawing adds considerable visual interest. The fiber piece and the gritty particles create wonderful textures and give the work a truly haptic dimension. As with many mail-artists, text is incorporated in the work, thus bringing the strengths of visual poetry into the mix.

What I find most remarkable is the way Helder Coelho Dias is able to integrate so many different elements and approaches into the work and still achieve a masterful unity. Here is the envelope:

And the reverse:

I am honoured that Helder chose to send me this piece from his "Footprint Series." I offer my deepest thanks and assurance the piece will be treated with great respect and carefully preserved.

Some other footprint mail-art

By Marie Wintzer aka St. Empress Marie Antonette, Cherry Blossom, Sweet Pea, Pea, Toxic Red Riding Hood (Saitama, Japan)

By Moan Lisa (Iowa City, Iowa, USA)

[vizma bruns]

Great stuff, I  Iove that Helder has added the work in progress photos here!

Sole-ful blog DV!!

[De Villo Sloan]

I think Helder has started something for sure.

Now if DKULTNY had some genuine DK footprint art, we could run with that (hint, hint).

[DKeys]

Helder's footprint series is inspired. Feet have been considered sacred across all religions. The ancient Egyptians used to remove the soles of the feet of the deceased because they believed  the 'soul' entered and exited the body through the feet. Knowing that Helder is a yoga teacher =it isn't surprising that he would be interested in feet

[Helder Coelho Dias]

lol no problem De Villo I have a good sense of humor. Carina De Villo is right, performance art is something that also interest me.

[De Villo Sloan]

Sorry you have to endure the puns, Helder. In English to make it worse.

Carina - I think my point - especially with Helder's photos - is that you could view this as performance art too.

[Helder Coelho Dias]

Thanks Carina, well in a comic sense "Art Heels" its a good name De Villo lol

[De Villo Sloan]

Hi Carina, I suppose you could say: "Art Heels." Send me a paw print!

[Carina]

Nice work by Helder and collection of footprints! Interesting thing with the relation between body and art.

[De Villo Sloan]

Helder, I want to thank you again for the great first piece in the series, also for the additional documentation. This works best when the artist talks about their work. Some do not; that is OK too.

Now many of us are here because we want to make our own culture that does not involve galleries, collectors, critics and academics.

I do like writing about mail-art. Think of me as an anti-art anti-critic.

[Helder Coelho Dias]

First of all many thanks for the nice review of the work, i real appreciate you´re writing De Villo, in my opinion you are a great Art Critic on the Mail Art scene. And you 're right the Anti-Art is something that attract me, i like to incorporate on my works found objects and give them a new sense. Today the Art World  is riddled with snobbery and artists who think they are the greatest. But even more serious is that these same artists create for them or otheres do that, literary testaments to explain the work they intend to sell, which in most cases these same texts so well developed has nothing to do with description of the alleged works. Individualism has always been part of the artists process and it is necessary, however should be exist a more closeness approach between all those who create what we call Art, thus avoiding a vanity expropriated, filling it with  humility and knowledge sharing, thats for me what Mail Art is.
The performative process behind the creation of these works, it in fact existed with this intention, let's say, its a more personal way of connecting me with others, but above all it is conceptually a way to demonstrate the archaic sensitivity to the natural world and its elements that man forgottten, but also related to the lost child in us that time was in charge of hiding.