May 2013 MOBMA WINNERS ANNOUNCED!

[Thom Courcelle]

Well, it's the end of the month, and I don't wish to keep anyone in suspense any longer.  So as the esteemed judge for this month's MOBMA award, I have the duty of crowning this IUOMA Group's best submission.  The task was arduous, rife with hair-pulling (literally--see Vizma's submission), and tortured. Tactics of bribery were ignored.  I was so overwhelmed by the pressure, that I eventually broke the contest down into several categories, for which prizes are being awarded and sent in the mail.  Seven categories were eventually determined:

Category 1 was the "Wildly Inappropriate" category.  Although her entry seemed to cross the threshold of several of the other categories (see following, particularly categories 4 and 7), no entry fit the category title better than this piece from Vizma Bruns who sent a glob of tangled hair from the sink drain as her piece of mail art:

Please keep in mind that "wildly inappropriate" may also translate as "brilliant."  It's all in the eye of the beholder.  Although this holder hopes that none of that hair will get stuck in my eye, because I'm sure it would hurt. Vizma will be receiving this ribbon for her artistic efforts:

 

Category 2 was the "Self-Abnegation" category.  This is one of those awards for damn'dest good effort, even though the artist is her own worst critic.  Jiminy Crickets--this award has to go to Rebecca Guyver for a piece that everyone thought was charming, but which Rebecca herself almost threw in the toilet before submitting it to the MOBMA Group:

Rebecca will be receiving this ribbon for her artistic entry:

Category 3 was the "Mildly Racist" category.  I am happy to report that there were no entries for this category.  Meaning that IUOMA is free of anyone who is unknowingly ignoramorific.  Hooray!!!!  We're all winners.

 

Category 4 was the "Gross-Icky-Cucka-Poo-Poo" category.  Diane Keys was a shoe-in for her piece that included DEAD ANTS.  (As always, I am grateful to Ms. Keys for the use of barrier-protectant cello-tape and/or laminate in her entries):

Diane will be receiving this ribbon for her entomological species submission... (this award is also known as the "Brown Rose" award):

Category 5 was the "Deformed Anatomy" category.  This was an extremely creative submission, resembling a death mask of one of the Mario Brothers:

 

 

The entrant (submitted under the artist name "Cardboard Lamborghini") also used the artwork in a piece of performance art involving a full-body leotard suit:

Cardboard Lamborghini will receive this ribbon for his unique artistic entry (if we can figure out an address for Mr. Lamborghini):

Category 6 was the "Disqualified MOBMA Nominee [for Making Mail Art that was Too Damned Good]" category.  This award goes to Monsieur Dean Marks for his much ribbingly-maligned, yet delicious piece of paint on wood board mail art, Parisian Still-Life:

One can hardly expect to win top prize in a Museum of Bad Mail Art Competition if the piece literally turns everyone's heads, only to exclaim, "Wait... this is Good!"  So Dean is perhaps the only loser in this competition; which precisely means that he is a winner... for losing a bad mail art competition... don't get confused!!!  Dean will be receiving this ribbon for having his piece under nomination:

Category 7 was the "So... So... Wrong" category.  Unfortunately, this category also goes unfilled this month for lack of sufficient submissions.  Maybe some other month!!

 

As a footnote the Museum of Bad Mail Art Group was formed as a giggle-inducing gathering of mail artists who have a GREAT SENSE OF HUMOUR.  The group is a place to post pictures of art with "something-a-little-askew" that we find in second-hand shops or the tolerant café wall.  It is a place where we can laugh at ourselves and our own valiant amateur efforts at creating Mail Art that might not make it into the Louvre, but which anyone would be pleased--or amazed--to receive in one's mailbox.  If you haven't visited the MOBMA Group, you should check it out!

 

[DKeys]

sorry to use the lingo, but LOLOLOLOLZ!!!  This blog is hilarious Thom-you have outdone yourself with your commentary and those TP/knit awards are stellar.  FURK really stuck out to me too--the perfect synthesis of f*ck and fork.  This was a fantastic way to start my morning!

[Nancy Bell Scott]

Oh yah, the dead ants almost gagged me. Perfectly gross, Diane! Emphasis on the "perfectly." I laughed my head off.

[Svenja Wahl]

Thank you, Thom, you just made my morning! Dead ants, Diane!!! I love all the categories!

[vizma bruns]

I'm with Nancy! I'm in stitches over this blog!! Tres magnifique!! Thoroughly entertaining and ingenious!!!!! And the weird thing is, when I saw the prizes, I thought, "Man I want the one that says 'furk' " and it's the one that's being presented to me!! Yippee! Thanks Thom, I will wear it with honour, perhaps to an exhibition opening, people will be lining up for my autograph, I'm sure of it. (or possibly your autograph!!)

[Thom Courcelle]

Thanks first responders!!  Nancy--you flatter me.  Jim--I think "squirrels" would be a very interesting MOBMA theme... you should get crackin' and submit something for next month's round!!

[Nancy Bell Scott]

This might win blog post of May 2013. Primo, my friend. I love your categories ... especially the ones that didn't get fulfilled this month ... but no, all! You've set a new standard for MOBMA, and may it attract the international attention it deserves. 

[Jim SantAmour]

Congratulations to all! Can't wait for the next "theme"...squirrels,  perhaps.?