RECEIVED: Time for Surrealism? Kitty Rocket's Mail-Art Explores Dream Images (Portland, Oregon, USA)

[De Villo Sloan]

Mail-art by IUOMA member Kitty Rocket (Portland, Oregon, USA)

 

March 26, 2011 - When Kitty Rocket became a member of the IUOMA not long ago, she immediately started a group called "Dream Images." Much of her mail-art is based on dreams, and I'm very happy to have received this first package from her.  Bird imagery dominates. Kitty included a very kind note:

 

The Chapter A she mentions is for the Project 26 collaborative mail-art book. She refers to illustrations of Native American (Iroquois) carved bone combs that depict birds. So many Native American cultures value dreams. I'm glad Kitty was influenced by their prehistoric artwork.

 

Above is another piece Kitty Rocket sent that uses a bird feather.

 

I think what Kitty Rocket is doing with her mail-art is very interesting. The use of dream imagery always reminds me of surrealism. Much mail-art you see today shows the influence of Da Da. Surrealism doesn't seem to be "in the air" much at all. Yet I remember another time when I was involved with the network when the influence of surrealism seemed to show up everywhere. I wonder if these two pillars of the historic avant garde cycle in out of use? Regardless, I look forward to exchanging dream-inspired mail-art with Kitty. Many thanks!

 

Kitty Rocket's blog is really interesting. She seems to be doing something with desert homesteading. The photo section is fantastic:

http://birdhammer.com/

[De Villo Sloan]

I know exactly what you mean. As with a similar conversation, it made me think of Bob Dylan's more surrealistic lyrics in :Gates of Eden." There's a kind of futility in sitting around trying to determine what's real and what is not, ultimately another parlor among many parlor games:

 

The kingdoms of Experience
In the precious wind they rot
While paupers change possessions
Each one wishing for what the other has got
And the princess and the prince
Discuss what's real and what is not
It doesn't matter inside the Gates of Eden.

 

And, Marie, I think Kitty IS doing more than the recycled "vintage" postcard thing we all just ADORE so much.

 

[cheryl penn]

Time for Surrealism? ANYTIME all the time is time for Surrealism.

[Marie Wintzer]

Love that old black and white photo and what she did with it. And her camper, wow!