When: closing January 4, 2019
In the 1960s, artists starting sending art through the mail - not shipping paintings or sculptures, but making art out of envelopes and letters. I suppose this is yet another thing that our digital age has taken from us: the opportunity to receive a work of art in our post box. I know you can use different backgrounds and fonts in an email, but somehow, it's just not the same.
Mail art not only allowed artists to communicate with others, it also allowed them to circumvent museums and galleries to share their work with their correspondents. Perhaps one could make a comparison to bloggers sharing their thoughts outside the world of newspaper reviews and criticism?
Marginalized groups (whether outside the mainstream based on gender, sexual orientation or political beliefs) were also users of mail art, as it allowed them to communicate without fear of reprisal from those in power. Alternative art required alternative methods of distribution.
Verdict: Worth having a look at this one-room show; you never know what might be in the mail carrier's bag...
No comments:
Post a Comment