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1997 JUN 5
Electronic Museum of Mail Art
USA
"EMMA is mail art's first electronic mailbox museum
where the address is the art, the Web is your key, and admission
is free."
Mail art is cool because it is doing the Net for decades prior to
there being a Net, which is to say, the philosophy and action of
the mail artists is very much Net thinking. These artists
have been successfully doing the Net thing for years without benefit
of the Internet to help make it happen.
Net thinking isn't so much new thinking because of the Net, but it
is tied closely to the promise of the Internet. It is exemplified
by the activities of the mail art network: global culture; art,
creativity, and communication in and of itself; availability and
access for all; interactive and open participation in a creative
process.
"Objectives at EMMA are:
1) introduce the electronic and (snail) mail art communities
to one another;
2) develop the concept of email art through email art hotlinks
to other Web sites;
3) Encourage email art interactivity through visitations into
EMMA's rooms, galleries, and library;
4) promote image exchange.
EMMA's objectives reflect ongoing efforts to netlink
online and offline mail art communities through the Networker
Telenetlink and by posting an updated Email Art
Directory."
This site features good information about mail art and email art,
courtesy of artist Chuck Welch, plus a tribute to artist Ray Johnson,
1927 - 1995, founder of the modern mail art movement. There is plenty
of great art work for your optical enjoyment, too, and links to mail
art Web sites around the world.
Electronic Museum of Mail Art
www.actlab.utexas.edu/emma
John Held Jr. at Art Network
USA
"Mail art is changing the way we think about art and
about living in the world. After four decades of erecting
a worldwide structure of global interaction, mail art and
now email art continues to evolve as an stimulus for
increased understanding and cooperation among a global
constituency."
- John Held Jr.
Artist and author John Held Jr. has published a concise and
comprehensive history of the mail art movement at the Art
Network Web site. This is one of the best writings on the
subject I have found. Great reading -- and illustrated
by some very fine samples of mail art.
John Held Jr. at Art Network
www.artnetwork.com/mailart/johnheldjr.html
Mail Art Luxembourg
LUXEMBOURG
This is an extensive and impressive mail art Web site featuring a
number of galleries of mail art, including a gallery of works by
artist and Mail Art Luxembourg Web author Francis Van Maele.
Here, too, you will find current information on a number of
international mail art projects, calls for entries, and other
opportunities for participation.
Mail Art Luxembourg
www.club.innet.lu/~year0891/mailart.html
The promise of the Internet --
to realize global communication, creativity, and co-operation --
is just what the mail artists have been doing for years. Looking back
on their accomplishments in successful networking might provide a
glimpse into our future.
Image clips from the Web site of the artist.
Used by permission.
Would you like to see your work in Zn?
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