De Villo Sloan's Comments

n"Like Ray Johnson, another master collagist, Brainard is one of those great nonaligned artists who now seem to fit in everywhere. His love of intimate scale and pop culture ephemera (no one did more with matchbooks); his penchant for captions and punch lines; his forthright joy in being gay; his inability to adhere to a single style or medium (to make "Brainards" as he put it)-- these characteristics link him to a host of contemporary artists, among them Jim Hodges, Robert Mele, Raymond Pettibon, Karen Kilimnik. His own influences include Kurt Schwitters, Arthur Dove, Joseph Cornell and Max Ernst, and also Edouard Vuillard.3"

 

I can relate....

Hi De Villo

 

I would like to know if you already received my piece?

All I know of Ray Johnson I learned by watching the documentary and my reading is that Ray was his own orchestra and he liked it that way. In fact, he made not have had a choice. The Frank O'Hara contingent seems more a fraternity of outsiders, peeking up at the culture through a slightly raised manhattan manhole cover...I have more affinity for them than Ray who I wanted to like but didn't really by the end of the movie. He seemed too much like me, a prankster hiding behind a scrim of obscurantism. This big words make my head hurt this early in the morning....

While I'm thinking of it, keep an eye out for a card I sent before my trip to Florida last week, I figured if anyone would get a kick out of it, it'd be you.

-AWJ-

ScAnna Banana

You're welcome. I, too, have an interest in that postwar Frank O'Hara/Larry Rivers/Joe Brainerd/Joe LaSueur period.I love Brainerd's comic strips. I keep thinking I'll find a way to do something similar but I think too much about it. There's a randomness, a Brion Gysinishness if you will that really doesn't suit my nature. I want those laughs goddamnit and that sort of zen gag writing is probably a bridge too far for me. The closest I got recently was on Laurence Robert's valentine. But Padgett and Brainerd were way beyond this sort of thing. I hope you get something out of it. I think I found Gooch's biography of O'Hara slightly more interesting but I think the definitive history of that period has yet to be written. Really, it's the flip side of the execrable Mad Men.

 

Oh Swell, no need to notify me I am just glad you got them. They were sent from a little sleepy town with a post office run by someone who did not speak English, yet, there is no reason not to trust the intent of mail art to arrive at it's destination!

Hello Mr. DVS, This is kitty and I was hoping that you received my cards sent so long ago. I wanted to show my friend  and hoped I could find a picture of them on your page here. It would be sad if you did not get them......2 dreams in a green envelope sent at mid February.

I guess I will just have to send you more! I am enjoying your food for thought in the meantime!

Yes! A life time of adventure--really....

"The Desolation Angel in the Ruined Theater of Fluxus" - for Marie and DK

GRazie a Te !!! Caro Amico... un abbraccio . bruno

Hi De Villo!

I decided to send something to you, and guess what ... I have already done the piece, follows in the mail tomorrow :)

Well, then you're in luck--let me tell you about the DK Time Management System.  Just say NO and step away from the chaos.

You can call me Diane if you want, of course  What should I call you? The Tombstone group is a short term committment since the group literally dies in one month's time. I refuse to believe there is not enough of you to go around. Besides, you can quit.

DVS, I don't know how to send those invite to group thingies, but you should join the Tombstone group-it's a deadly good time

Leaf Art done last Fall

Thank you for the invitation to join Asemic! I've left a message there already.

:)