RECEIVED: USA Mail-Art 4 the X-Files from Amy Irwen (Minnesota), KDJ (Florida), RCBz (Minnesota), Jen Staggs (Texas)

[De Villo Sloan]

Mail-art by IUOMA member Amy Irwen (Rosemount, Minnesota, USA)

December 23, 2011 - A few months ago I created a blog tag called X-Files. The intention is to document pieces of mail-art that are anomalies or defy conventional interpretation. Maybe it's just me, but I think I have received a number of great pieces for the X-Files recently. NOTE: A strange coincidence that X-Files mail-art comes exclusively from the USA? More specifically from Minnesota?

The work at the top of the blog by Amy Irwen recycles collages shreds and trashpo I sent her. This very powerful and relatively large collage is, for me, like looking in a funhouse mirror at reflections of some current mail-art movements; it's simultaneously beautiful and frightening.

We see a surrealistic blending of MinXus with roaDKill (actually two opposing aesthetics). The mink has been turned into a hunting target and seems to have tire tracks over it. I also note a piece of a bus schedule I found in the street one day walking to the post office (Finger Lakes Mall is the end of the line). Here is the reverse side of this amazing Mail-art Guernica by Amy Irwen:

Amy kindly included the lyrics to Loudon Wainright's one-hit-wonder classic: "Dead Skunk in the Middle of the Road." Also in red is the original "roaDKill Lives" stamp designed by Angie & Snooker the Amazing Mail-Art Dog (Wisconsin, USA). I very much appreciate this work from Amy; however, I am not sure why I am associated with roadkill art. True, I wrote about it when it was a main focus of work by Diane Keys (Illinois, USA), but I was really only the messenger. This strange melding of roaDKill and MinXus-Lynxus never would have occurred to me, but it makes sense on some level.

I got blisters on my fingers, Ringo

In an Investigative Mail-Art blog I wrote about the D-KULT, I described KDJ (Orlando, Florida, USA) as Diane Key's "iron-fisted lieutenant." I have had some heated exchanges with KDJ concerning the defective D-Koder ring I received. Especially involving the DKULT, there is some confusion about me and Dark wall (who is a real person). For reasons too complicated to explain here, Dark wall's D-Kollectibles business (which trades in items related to DK and the DKULT) uses my box. The "Shroud of Elgin" and it's magic powers are topics you need to address to Dark wall. This piece by KDJ is addressed to me but might be meant for Dark wall:

Mail-art by IUOMA member KDJ (Orlando, Florida, USA)

The "Shroud of Elgin" is a purple shirt that, according to legend, was stolen from DK in March of 2011. It was spirited across the U.S. border into Mexico where evidence of its powers began to be known. In recent months, it was returned to the U.S. and small shreds are being circulated to those in need of miracles in the mail-art network. If you want to see what all the fuss is about, check out this blog by Nancy Bell Scott:

http://iuoma-network.ning.com/profiles/blogs/pocket-shred-of-shroud-of-elgin-from-de-villo-sloan-with

At one point, claims were made that the "Shroud of Elgin" could repair any harm caused by defective D-Koder rings.  Here is the reverse side of KDJ's mail-art:

In addition to the note, I also like the Zalop and Ray Johnson stamps. Thanks DKDJ.

"What we have here is a failure to communicate"

As I had feared, my already frail friendship (nonexistent) with the brilliant and much-admired mail-artist RCBz (St. Cloud, Minnesota, USA) has continued to deteriorate since I last blogged his work. He is not sending me mail-art anymore, just a puzzling and ambiguous note that I am sure is the last if I do not in some way respond to what has been, in retrospect, a great amount of patience and generosity on his part:

Mail-art by RCBz (St. Cloud, Minnesota, USA)

RCBz seems to be fast friends with Marie Wintzer (Saitama, Japan), and I would say from seeing his work he would be more inclined to MinXus-Lynxus than roaDKill, were he to be particularly drawn toward either. Cheryl Penn (South Africa) did receive some excellent work from RCBz recently that deserves a gander:

http://cherylpenn.com/wpb/?p=1039

RCBz has an extraordinary knowledge of history and geography, which is reflected in his work. I notice his reference to the historic Auburn Prison (now called a correctional facility) I recall Auburn and Buffalo, New York were in hot competition for years, each claiming to be the hometown of the Electric Chair. It might have settled this way: The Chair was invented in Buffalo and first used in Auburn. We have many things like that to take pride in.

Immaculate concept(ion) art?

Many IUOMA members will immediately recognize the piece below by Jen Staggs. Not unlike the Shroud of Elgin, it too gave birth (no pun intended) to a mail-art myth. I am really proud to have received one of these prints by Jen. Before the pregnancy stories ignited, I thought it was beautiful, definitely the finest work I have received from her so far. Now it's also a little bit of history:

Mail-art by IUOMA member Jen Staggs (Dallas, Texas, USA)

Belated thanks, Jen. Be assured a very special shred of the Shroud of Elgin will soon be on it's way to you.

Thanks to all contributors to the Mail-Art X-Files. Remember:

[Jen Staggs]

My optimistic mind likes to think they aren't roadkill but beautiful specimens of the Black-Footed Flat Weasel of Fluxtopia. Or a "fleasel."

[De Villo Sloan]

Hi Kerri, thank you for the comment. I have received new work from you too. However, I don't believe it belongs in the X-Files. We'll have a look somewhere else.

Marie, Amy blurred the very clear line between Mx and rK, raising the issue that minks have to fear traffik like the rest of us.

What's up with this rumor that's spreading? You have been detained in Germany? You can't tell anyone anything these days ;) I would find your passport suspicious too. If there is yet ANOTHER visit to Prague I am going to believe everything. I wish you could use your influence to settle things with RCBz too.

[Marie Wintzer]

Dw you must be kidding! Nooooooooo....

[De Villo Sloan]

[Kerri Pullo]

All of these pieces are amazing! ...and a very fun blog read as well!

[De Villo Sloan]

That's good, Jen, "bloated sense of self." But seriously, there's so much baggage attached to your print at this point, I hope people can manage to see it for the very fine artwork it is. 

Marie, the interpretation Amy offers of Mx & RK is very revealing. I like the mink in the rifle scope, yes. The RCBz message also seems part of the X-Files theme. 

Amy, this recycling trend with people sending each other scraps and pieces of artwork that would have been ordinarily thrown out is a wonderful trend. To see this piece in the real world is even more impressive - it has that trashpo chaos about it. Again, many thanks.

[Jen Staggs]

As always, DVS giving me a bloated sense of self. Thank you!

[Marie Wintzer]

That targeted minxus stamp is very funny :-))) is it that the roadkill people feel a little threatened these days? But even funnier is RCBz writing you must be an inmate at the correctional facility :-))) He indeed did a great job with Cheryl's dreams.

[Amy Irwen]

Thanks for the great blog! WOW...too kind

KDJ...your piece is awesome AND cracked me up *!*

Welcome to the XFiles ******