Scannerpo El Supremo by Joey Patrickt (Oakland, California, USA)

[De Villo Sloan]

Mail art by IUOMA member Joey Patrickt (Oakland, California, USA)

April 4, 2015 - Joey Patrickt sent me an excellent scanner smear. I have been experimenting with pieces like this lately as asemic and vispo compositions. Joey was able to capture the rhythmic cursive effect I have been trying to achieve as well as some fantastic colors. I am thrilled to have this piece!

I became interested in scannerbed smears (and scannerbed composition) when I saw vispo using the technique by Ficus strangulensis (West Virginia, USA) and C. Mehrl Bennett (Columbus, Ohio, USA). These possibly dated back as far as 2005, and other visual poets might have been involved as well. The technique is neither new nor original, but I do not think it has been exhausted. Here is the reverse side of the card Joey Patrickt sent me:

I also received another card from Joey Patrickt.

Satire of suburban life and commentary on current issues seem well within Joey Patrickt’s purview. I suspect the Oakland environment influences the art a great deal. We see a great use of found material on the reverse side:

As ever, deepest thanks to Joey Patrickt. As soon as I can find a moment to breathe I must send something Oakland way. Please be patient and do not despair!

[De Villo Sloan]

Thanks for the additional scans, Finn.

I tend to buy the low end scanners & they burn out fast. The one I'm using is starting to fade & a line was appearing in the prints. But it somehow corrected. I'm hoping I can get one to malfunction really badly to produce some glitch art. I suppose I could speed it along with, like, a baseball bat or golf club. But then I need something reliable for documentation.

When I was doing the representational Trashpo using food & liquid, I went through scanners fast. Some will remember this one below. Peanut butter is the worst. You can't clean it up.

[FinnBadger]

You're welcome to reblog.

I do sometimes think I should get a new scanner, as this one is very temperamental, and getting more and more reluctant to scan. But then every now and again it makes its own art, so I'm more and more reluctant to axe it. And I never think these thoughts near it, since it has a mind of its own, makes its own art, and so who knows what else it might be capable of?

I often play around with the scanner art to see what other effects come out.

Inverted goat envelope/hand.

I did a series of turquoise and orange cards, and on one of the scans this is what came out. I like it a lot as an alternative to my original, and I would never have come up with this combo on my own.

[De Villo Sloan]

Thanks for sharing that scan, Finn. (Can I re-post that on M-L?)

That's a great example of (& you obviously get) this concept of the smears, scannerpo & that is related to the glitch art DK is doing. It makes perfect sense in that it's found material, it's often generated as the result of accidents and randomness  - things associated w/Fluxus & other avant pursuits.

Joey is a great correspondent, very aware & talented but not always willing to discuss the art at any length - a lot of artists are like that. I'm assuming he saw all the smears I've been doing lately & decided to "show me how it's done." It's a great piece. I'll conclude with one of mine. I also wish I could find the Ficus/C Mehrl Bennett smears that got me started.

The upper right (yellowish) is a smear of an old print of an elephant.

Finn, thanks again for sharing that! I'd love to see more glitches, smears, scannerbed comps either here or send them to me.

[FinnBadger]

I find that my aging scanner has a mind of its own - it often changes the colors of the scanned items, sometimes for the better, and occasionally scans when unprompted, resulting in occasional unique scans, of which this is probably the one that I find the most intriguing.