Some Amalgamated Confusion by Keith S. Chambers (Anaheim, California, USA)

[De Villo Sloan]

Mail-art by IUOMA member Keith S. Chambers (Anaheim, California, USA)

October 17, 2014 - Keith S. Chambers has recently been circulating some very interesting and engaging, text-centered correspondence. I am very happy to share a piece he sent me that I have not seen elsewhere.

An IUOMA discussion arose about Keith S. Chambers' recent missives, and I proposed these pieces emerge from the Otherstream (or show that influence any way): A term popularized by Bob Grumman (Florida, USA) to describe a kind of experimental writing associated with the Eternal Network, Otherstream, of course, varies from author to author but it is grounded in DaDa and has also acquired through the passage of time elements of surrealism, pomo, Fluxus and many other avant ties.

Otherstream is rife with irony, absurdism and humor; historically, it has run concurrent with L=A=N=G=U=A=G=E but does not adhere to that group’s theories or methodologies. Many mail-artists, often without even knowing it, drift into Otherstream discourse due to its prevalence in the network. Ray Johnson’s writing has also likely had a large influence.

Many thanks to Keith S. Chambers!