Mail Art Gathering in Hamburg 2026

[Lars Schumacher]

On Saturday, 11 July 2026, a group of artists whose practices have shaped the field of Mail Art for decades convened in Hamburg. What distinguished this encounter was not simply the presence of influential figures, but the unmistakable sense of continuity among them — a shared commitment to exchange, an openness to new impulses, and a collective understanding of art as a social and relational space.

At the heart of the gathering were Hans Braumüller and Fernando García Delgado, whose long-standing friendship and artistic dialogue shaped the tone of the afternoon. Braumüller, a defining voice in German Mail Art since the early 1980s, integrates visual poetry, digital experimentation, and conceptual communication into a practice that is both expansive and precise. His international network — spanning Europe, Latin America, and the United States — forms the resonant framework for projects that have evolved over many years.

García Delgado, founder of Vórtice Argentina and director of Barraca Vorticista in Buenos Aires, stands as one of the most influential figures in Latin American Mail Art. His archive, comprising more than 25,000 works from 67 countries, operates as a living memory of the movement. His visit to Hamburg is part of a months-long journey through 19 cities and seven countries — a trajectory that deepens friendships, enables lectures, and opens new collaborative pathways.

The circle widened with artists from northern Germany whose contributions enriched the dialogue. Karl‑Friedrich Hacker of Itzehoe, editor of el mail Tao since the 1980s, brought his expertise as a printmaker and typographer. His experimental miniatures, often inflected with poetic or philosophical undertones, have long been integral to the German Mail Art landscape.

Hartmut Graf of Friedrichstadt, a steady presence in the regional scene, works with collage, drawing, and typography. His analog miniatures emerge from spontaneous gestures and carry the quiet intensity characteristic of many Mail Art works.

Lars Schumacher contributes conceptual clarity, poetic openness, and a keen sense of social observation. His Prints, LoFi miniatures, photographic fragments, and typographic interventions create intimate situations that unfold in dialogue with the viewer — extending the Mail Art ethos of relational exchange.

The gathering unfolded as a vivid conversation about ongoing projects, collections, and museums that preserve and present Mail Art today. Small works were exchanged, new ideas surfaced, and a stamp-based project by García Delgado took further shape. The atmosphere was defined by mutual respect, curiosity, and the joy of experiencing art as a connective practice.

In the months ahead, new impulses will emerge — through García Delgado’s travels, through the continued work of the participating artists, and through the networks that continue to expand. This meeting made visible how Mail Art brings people together: across borders, across generations, and across diverse artistic approaches. A constellation of gestures, lines, words, and friendships — continuing to unfold.