From Richard Canard: cerealism and philosophy

[Nancy Bell Scott]

It is an honor to receive my first mail art from Richard Canard: which features, on the back, some insightful, humorous, and thought-provoking philosophy and truisms about mail art and people: His thoughts here (and everywhere else I've seen some, actually) are full of experience and reveal a wonderful turn of mind. I appreciate the whole thing but will spell out a few that especially speak, at least to me:

"The mail artist who doesn't hesitate to bore himself is not concerned with your response." [Now need to figure out which mail artists are boring themselves--will keep my eyes and ears open--maybe it will be obvious now that Richard has said it.]

"Your view of your own art is far more important than whether or not it is actually sent in the mail." [Fundamentally true. This will be easier to act on mentally when and if the initial wild and crazy addiction quiets down a little.]

"I certainly have my favorites but in 100 years (or far less) all these postcards that we send each other will be more or less the same."  [You mean like street dogs in a variety of countries are all the same after decades or centuries of inbreeding?]

"The mail artist who presents his trash to others values nothing."  [This potentially explosive statement has been dissected and ruminated over in another blog today, not to be taken overly seriously, I assume, since this card arrived as a piece of trashpo cerealism. But it's always good to ponder these things, even if it does amuse people no end.]

"Supply a dummy with superficial knowledge and he won't stop talking."  [So we are not alone here in Maine! This is so true here that a once sociable artist who got worn out getting her face talked off by such folks is now a hermit.]

What favorites? Here they all are, with the added note that perishable art might be the best. Thank you, Richard Canard. Your mail is always welcome here. You're going to get some in return too, whether you're full up or not.

[BarnArt]

We like this - philosophy on the cereal box. Very amusing and fun.

[Marie Wintzer]

Promising. I will put up a piece by DK at about the same time I think.

[De Villo Sloan]

Nancy, I noticed "flax" too and thought of the relation to "flux." He didn't change it, but I bet he noticed it too.

 

CB, Nancy's title made me think of the pop song (from my battered memory again) by Edie Brikel? that has the line something like: "Philosophy is cereal box religion." The lyrics are something like that - has philosophy, cereal box, religion. I could look it up, but I'm trying to get a big investigative piece on Trashpo ready to post as a blog tomorrow. 

[Nancy Bell Scott]

Just noticed there was an opportunity on the cereal box to change "flax" to "flux" but it didn't happen.

[Marie Wintzer]

That's interesting, humor and irony being different. You're right. I never thought about it. I think I only like humor when it comes with irony, or borderline sarcasm. I would never take those at face value. It's also interesting that Nancy used the word philosophy in her title. Well, I'm just blabbing but we could talk about this for hours I think..

[Nancy Bell Scott]

Philosophy is debatable. Mr Canard's "quotes" as I've seen them called seem to be a combination of stream-of-consciousness sound-bites with substance--funny and/or ironic--and probably long-weighed thoughts that he has come to see as true. I think many, even if debatable, have kernels of truth--certainly enough to make them well worth pondering. I assume he sends them mainly to spark, possibly, some new thinking in people who read them. These are big assumptions on my part, since I don't know him, except only through mail art blogs written by others over the past three months.

[De Villo Sloan]

CB, they are debatable. Some of us spent too much time today trying to decide if he had denounced Trashpo. I've made comments before about how puzzled I am about so many things Warhol wrote. Was he literally serious with all those banal utterances? Or were they ironic? It's all part of the big mystery or the big con. Some of the Ray Johnson-based stuff is in this territory. I think you can tell when Mr. Canard is being humorous. Humor is not the same as irony. So I take the rest at face value. I assume he is sincere.

[Marie Wintzer]

Hmmm, most of those are highly debatable. I sometimes wonder to what extent he is serious/kidding when he writes down those things. They seem to come out like an uncontrollable and unfiltered flow. But it makes for great mail art, for sure.

[Nancy Bell Scott]

You're right, DVS--not fast food for the mind. How refreshing. Of course, that's a major reason why IUOMA sticks to so many and won't let go.

[De Villo Sloan]

I am developing a real appreciation for the sayings of RC as the result of these blogs. I don't think he's creating fast food for the mind; they are worthy of reflection. Are these all going in a little red book? The sayings of a mousey tongue?