Karnival of Trash Mail Art Call: Gu (Norwich, Norfolk, UK)

[De Villo Sloan]

Mail art by IUOMA member Gu (Norwich, Norfolk, UK)

August 21, 2016 - I am absolutely thrilled to share the first Karnival of Trash entry from Britain. Gu is a FAB collage artist known and admired both inside and well beyond Trashpo and Kulter circles. Her considerable talents are now immortalized in the annals of the Karnival of Trash.

Geographically and aesthetically, Gu is part of the acclaimed DKULTUK that is known for its innovation. This fascinating synthesis of “high” culture (Shakespeare) and the anti-art stance of Trashpo is thought-provoking and deeply rewarding in terms of art. Here is the reverse side of the stunning collage:

The Ray Johnson allusion as well as the fascinating retro nature of the enclosed material gives this mailing an additional cultural resonance. DKULTUK products have always tended toward the more aesthetic side of Trashpo (Rebecca Guyver and Mail Art Martha, for instance). This work by Gu is another contribution to the canon.

This stamp (above) could easily serve as the logo for the Karnival of Trash.

Gu employs a classic Trashpo trope: The packet (or sometimes loose collection) of unaltered material, often cryptic or ambiguous in terms of intent:

Reverse sides:

Here is the envelope that contained all this marvelous material. The envelope included (unfortunately difficult to scan) an unsharpened and thus unused pencil. In my estimation, this is a superb mail art assemblage with both thematic continuity and disruption. Conventions of Trashpo are seamlessly integrated. Deepest thanks to Gu!

Send your entries to:

Karnival of Trash

c/o De Villo Sloan

PO Box 1314

Auburn, New York 13021 USA

Previous Karnival of Trash Documentation

Joey Patrickt

http://iuoma-network.ning.com/profiles/blogs/karnival-of-trash-mail...

John M. Bennett and Diane Keys

http://iuoma-network.ning.com/profiles/blogs/carnival-of-trash-exhi...

[Gü]

Thanks Mr C!

DVS, now that sounds like an interesting essay, I am a Retrofuturism fan, could you provide a link sometime please. Thanks again, look forward to sending more for the call.

[De Villo Sloan]

Thx, Richard. "Trashpo - this isn't funny anymore" is definitely appropriate for the Karnival. I'm not getting the usual bags of garbage. But I look forward to "Old School" Trashpo as well.

Gu _ I think randomness is 85% of Trashpo. Your mailing is perfect for the call. Thanks for the King Lear info. Shakespeare makes various references to nothing. What a wonderful connection to Ray Johnson!

The retro material is a great & a classic Trashpo device. You probably never saw the "Retro-Futurism" essay about time moving backwards, but - trust me - it's an element of Trashpo.

Certainly people can send me whatever and as much of what they want. If it relates to the Karnival of Trash, I'll document it as such or - if it is very different - I'll blog it separately.

[Gü]

Thank you so much for the great blog DVS! I hadn't thought about this fitting in with the Karnival of Trash call (I think you may have made the call after I posted) but very glad that it finds a home there... though I have been thinking of what I'll send you for that, there's no limit on entries right?

One connection I'd like to mention quite by coincidence, is King Lear and the line "Nothing will come of nothing"   Thought that fitting with RJ's bunny.

The photo of The Shakespeare Theatre was taken in the 30's and was part of a mini postcard collection. I've kept the card envelope they came in, no doubt for future mail art... My guess is these kind of items are stowed away for years, mail art serves as the perfect way to distribute for more people to enjoy.

[Richard Canard]

"Classy Trash!!!"