Mail art, or correspondence art, began in the 1950s as a project of Ray Johnson. Artist Edward M. Plunkett once said that mail art really began thousands of years ago when Cleopatra had herself delivered to Julius Caesar in a rolled-up carpet. The history of mail art is interesting, but its philosophy is more so - it’s another way to practice art for the sake of human connection rather than commerce.
I first learned about mail art while digging through the archives for the Museum of Temporary Art (MOTA), an experimental art gallery that ran in downtown DC during the late 70s. MOTA had an exhibit on correspondence art and asked people from all over the country to send in their small-form pieces.
Mail art is a great way to make something small and unserious. My plan is to spend no longer than 30 minutes on each piece. This will let me practice and experiment with techniques. I will only use scraps (hopefully this helps me get rid of some fabric so that I can buy more!). I’ll upload each piece on this page as my own MOTA-inspired gallery. If I get a response that is also mail art, I will put it up on the wall.
If you would like me to send you a piece of mail art, email me at izycarney@gmail.com
Best, sincerely, love, take care, yours,
izy