Moan Lisa X-Mas Special + Grigori Antonin World Mail-Art Champ Lost Classic

[De Villo Sloan]

Mail-art by IUOMA member Moan Lisa (Iowa City, Iowa, USA)

December 12, 2014 - Many thanks to Moan Lisa for a conventionally tasteful and very pleasing holiday greeting. I did a Moan Lisa tribute today at MinXus-LynXus that requires a little explaining and a further homage to another mail-artist. First, the reverse side of the holiday card Moan Lisa sent:

Very interesting side!

Mail-art by Grigori Antonin from 2010 (Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA) digitally re-mastered and courtesy of Elaine the Librarian collection

A few IUOMA members might still recall this lost classic. The memories of stale triumphs now forgotten give this historic work a deeper poignancy akin to the “carpe diem” montage in Dead Poets Society. Yet it did provide me with an idea. Re-establishing this tradition started by Grigori Antonin, I proclaim Moan Lisa the MinXus-Lynxus World Mail-Art Champ 2014.

This posting is in no way meant to diminish wonderful contributions by other artists. BUT Moan Lisa has been by far my most faithful correspondent in terms of snail mail quantity, which is an important measure of an excellent correspondent. The work has ranged, in my estimation, from genius to mundane chronicles of everyday life; it has always been received with joy. Due to my own shortcomings, I have neither responded with equivalent volume or depth nor have I been able to document properly every Moan missive received .

I extend my deepest congratulations and thanks to Moan Lisa, MinXus-Lynxus World Mail-Art Champ 2014. 

I obviously favor visual poetry, so I am thrilled to share with you some FAB vispo works Moan Lisa sent me in August but that I have not yet documented – until today!

Mail-art by Moan Lisa (Iowa City, Iowa, USA)

Moan Lisa appropriates a lot of material, so look for your work!

Thanks and congratulations again to Moan Lisa: MinXus-Lynxus World Mail-Art Champ 2014!!!

Another MinXus-Lynxus Lost Classic: “Now, Jen!” by Grigori Antonin (Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA). Digitally re-mastered courtesy of the Jen Staggs collection.

[De Villo Sloan]

Petrolpetal, it's great to find another Moan Lisa vispo fan. Thanks for the well-stated comment. Yes, the appropriations are really a form of collaboration in Moan's case.

I realize a whole new generation of IUOMA members has no recollection of Grigori Antonin & the kind of recognition mail-art doles out can be very random & perhaps even cruel.

[Petrolpetal]

Well deserved champion! Moan's work is so beautiful, and I love that she appropriates and transforms material. The work you have now shared is particularly outstanding, I think. Her poems are really good too.