Mail Art
Calls.
What is mail art?
Given mail art's tendency to
reject a lot of the unspoken rules of art, it's hard to come up with a precise
definition. Put simply, it's artwork sent through the mail between an
international network of enthusiasts. Sometimes the art is actually on the
envelope or packaging, sometimes it's contained inside. The art can take the
form of collage, painting, drawing, artist's trading cards, artistamps, you
name it. The most important aspect for me is that no money changes hands and
the art is accepted without judgment - the recurring phrase is 'No jury, no
fee'. What you get is the fun of taking part, and the chance to make contact
with people all around the world. More often than not you will receive some form
of documentation in response to your art, listing those taking part in the
project, or you may get a piece of work by another mail artist in exchange.
There's a good, thorough definition and history of mail art on this free
encyclopedia site.
The most direct way to get
involved in all this is to respond to a mail art call. A call is where somebody
puts out a request for people to send them mail art. Often a theme will be
suggested, but this is usually pretty open. There might also be guidance on the
medium or size of the artwork, and details of documentation or planned
exhibitions of the artwork.
If you want to find out more
about mail art there are some great sites listed on my links page.
Another good site to check is this
one run my Kiyotei. Some
other sites that list mail art calls are here, and here and here. Frips also has a great blog featuring
mail art she's received and made, here. You can see some examples of mail art I've done on the Art page. If
you want to get involved straight away, why not try some of the calls below?
Anybody who wants to post a call here can email the details to me at eddiewillson2000(at)yahoo.co.uk
Ongoing mail art calls.
►Title The M.A.R.S. Project
Call
details The
M.A.R.S. Project (Mobile Arts Road Show) launches this July. Primary exhibition
sites will be in south-west
There
are no theme restrictions. If you want to create a “M.A.R.S. Project” logo or
space / Martian / rocket ship / alien collage or cartoon that would be great,
but it is not a requirement for inclusion in the exhibition. Because this is an
outdoor project I want to be able to fit all of the exhibits into sheet
protectors, so I’m asking for all entries to be 8 ˝ by 11 inches or smaller,
but other than this restriction any format will be accepted: Collages,
cartoons, ATCs, postcards, envelope art, photography, anything, even 3D, as
long as it fits in a sheet protector. Sequential works broken up over several 8
˝ by 11 “panels” (diptych, triptych, or longer) are also encouraged.
All entries become the property of
the exhibit and will be scanned, archived, and posted on the M.A.R.S. Project
site (along with any information about when and where the road show will be
stopping next.) If you want production credits, email or snail mail addresses,
or any other information posted (or not posted) along with your artwork (either
at the live exhibit or on the site) don’t forget to include this with your
entry.
Address The M.A.R.S. Project
c/o Richard Yates
2808
Website http://themarsproject.blogspot.com/
Email replicant8@yahoo.com
►Title Anti-Robot
Inundation Army
Call details The Anti-Robot Inundation Army (ARIA)has been raging against
the robot for over a year now. Now you can rage back. Please send anything
arty. In return, you will be added to the ARIA mailing list and begin recieving
regular mail art. Recieved items will be posted to the project blog as they
arrive. I send out short screeds on linoleum block prints.
Mailings go out roughly every two to three weeks.
Address Robot
Website http://home.fuse.net/pandp
►Title Any Theme
Call details Artists from around the world are invited to send mail art on any theme. Pieces should be no larger than 25 cm x 35 cm (postcards / Artworks on the back / inside of the envelope also accepted). All work received will be exhibited in Galeri Seni, Faculty of Art & Design, MARA University of Technology, Shah Alam, MALAYSIA. Documentation to all.
Address Suzlee Ibrahim
(Mail Art Project)
Faculty of Art & Design
MARA
Shah Alam
Website www.artproject2006.cjb.net
Email info@artproject2006.cjb.net
►Title Roots
Call details
What remains of roots in displacement. To take part, you have
to send to us a small mailart postcard. We want to organize an itinerant
exhibition, ART in the Letter-box. Postal Art creations can be flat, in relief
or volume, not exceeding the format A4 (21cm X 29,7 cm) out of 10 cm of
thickness
The art works will be exposed on 2006 etc...We will organize an exhibition in
parallel to the Mail art.
Address Artus 38 rue du village
02380 Jumencourt
Website http://artus02.free.fr
►Title PUNK
Deadline. Ongoing.
Call details. Send me anything on the subject of PUNK especially 1970’s to 80’s
era – ticket stubs, pictures, flyers, mail art, etc. 2 or 3D. Work to be shown
on my website, possibly used in zine "I use to be a punk rocker but I'm okay now"
and/or put in future art show. If you have any stories, comics, reviews, art,
etc. on punk please submit them for consideration for publishing in the zine.
Work will be shown online and part of show (dependant on number of entries). If
shipping boxes or packages from the US or International be sure on the Customs
forms to put that the piece has $0 value and is a gift or samples - otherwise
it may have to be returned if duty is charged. If you want your work returned
to you please send mail coupon, stamps or other (exchange of stamps or
well concealed cash - please contact me first to make arrangements) - otherwise
no returns. Trade projects no extra postage needed. Documentation to all.
Address PUNK,
Website http://www.geocities.com/maxiboyd/callforentry.html
Email maxiboyd@yahoo.com
► Title Peepshow book
Deadline Ongoing until posted otherwise here.
Call details Call for Erotic art, stories, prose, etc...for artist booklet -
contributors will receive a copy. Work will be shown online and part of show
(dependant on number of entries). If shipping boxes or packages from the US or
International be sure on the Customs forms to put that the piece has $0 value
and is a gift or samples - otherwise it may have to be returned if duty is
charged. If you want your work returned to you please send mail coupon, stamps
or other (exchange of stamps or well concealed cash - please contact me
first to make arrangements) - otherwise no returns. Trade projects no extra
postage needed. Documentation to all.
Address Peepshow book,
Website http://www.geocities.com/maxiboyd/callforentry.html
Email maxiboyd@yahoo.com
► Title Coffee Country
Deadline Ongoing
Call details I'm compiling the COFFEE COUNTRY
TOURIST CATALOGUE:
collage, using paper art, stamps, cards, etc.
Address Please snail mail to:
MAILART MARITA
313-700 GITZEL ST.
YELLOWKNIFE NT
X1A 2R5
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► Title; ReSite
Deadline Ongoing
Call details Re – a prefix indicating repetition.
Site – the place where some activity or event takes place.
ReSite is a new assembling publication with a difference. All pages are to be
conceived as having an element of audience participation or interaction. Works
could take the form of scores, instructions, or interventions to be realized by
the reader. Send 40 copies size 21cm x14.8cm (A5). Copies have to be flat and
landscape format. Please leave 2cms on the left hand side for the binding.
ReSite is an on going project, issue made every 20 participants. (Please note: Apart from Field Study
Publications sent as gifts/ exchange, spare copies are also sold to
institutions and artistbook collectors. Field
Study is a non-profit project and all monies raised are ploughed back into the
Field for future projects.)
Address Field Study, P.0.Box 1838
► Title; Envelopes
Deadline Ongoing
Call details Decorate six envelopes in any way you
wish: collage, drawings, paintings, rubber stamping, etc. You will receive six
envelopes in return.
Address Annie
268 Miramar Ave
San Francisco, CA 94112
USA
Email paravion AT broken.org
► Title; WORK and AUTHOR
Call details Have
you never wondered, on seeing an artistic creation, what was the author like
physically? I have, often... We try to resolve this "dilemma"!You
send one piece to me of your work of whatever style, technique and format and
one photograph of you (not elaborated with any retouching, one simple
photograph).
Documentation after every 10 participations, with my graphical interpretation
of your photo.
Address Claudio
Romeo / Viale Kennedy, 144 /
20050 Villa Raverio - Mi /
Email None supplied
Website
Visit the gallery on the Internet http://it.photos.yahoo.com/crome62
► Title; Eyes, mouths and sugar sachets
Call details: Please send me eyes/ mouths/ sugar sachets and
requests and I'll send you whatever it is you request back.
Address:
Email:ellyengs25(At)hotmail.com
►Title; NO MEAT TODAY
Deadline No deadline
Call details Why do you eat meat? What do you think when
you eat meat? How do you feel when you eat meat? Have you looked at yourself
while eating meat? Can you kill the meat you eat or do you rather have someone
else to
do it for you? How red can
your steak be? Does your piece of meat have to be odourless? Do you teach your
kids to eat meat? Have you ever seen a cow from a couple of feet away? Seen the
eyes? Do you like horse riding or horse eating? Documentation to all. Entries
will be displayed on website.
Address Frips
Halvemaanstraat 113
b-9040
Email frips(At)frips.be
Website http://www.frips.be/
► Title; DON'T WRONG HUMAN RIGHTS
Deadline Ongoing
Call details An Add&Return postcard call.
Anyone who wants to play, send an email or snailmail with your address so that
I can send you more details.
Address Frips
Halvemaanstraat 113
b-9040
Email frips(At)frips.be
Website http://www.frips.be/
►Title; When X is Y
Deadline Ongoing.
Call details I got the idea for this theme when, one
day last spring, I was riding my bike and my chain started squeaking. Or
chirping. Hey wait, is that
a bird? I honestly couldn't tell and didn't care. I'm inviting anyone who would
like to participate, to send along any medium or size project...think
masks/illustions/mis-or-re-interpretations/juxtapositions...you take it where
you want to go and I document it on my blog, and send each participant an
original piece of mail art in return..
Address VictoriAimhleas
Website http://desideradada.blogspot.com
Mail art calls with a
deadline.
►Title STAMP AND ENVELOPE EXHIBITION
Call details In collaboration with L'INFORMAZIONE DEL COLLEZIONISTA. Free
your imagination, send your stamp and envelope in the size and format you
prefer to the address hereunder.
Deadline October 15th, 2006.
Address Claudio Romeo
Viale
Kennedy, 144
20050 Villa Raverio - Mi
Website Web Gallery: http://it.photos.yahoo.com/crome62
Email big.orko@email.it
►Title Global Warming
Call
details. Work on the theme of global warning. Media :Photographs, emails, cartoons, collages,
poems, visual poems, paintings, prints,digital images...
Size : Postcard size. Your work will be
displayed on my website . No jury,no fee,no return.
Deadline june 30, 2007
Address Sinasi
Gunes
Abide-i Hurriyet Caddesi Arslanoglu
Sisli / Istanbul
Turkey
Website www.simulasyon.net
►Title; Has the Internet Killed the Postman
Call details. When is Mail art and when is it just
mail? Has the Internet Killed the Postman? Contributor freedom: a licence to
excel or to suck?
These are questions that address the nature of the Network. If you have an opinion
then express it. All work received will be exhibited at a Mail Art Show in
September. Medium: Any Size: Any. Since the work is coming to
Deadline:
30th August 2006
Address neRRaDa
ARANA HILLS
QLD 4054
Email send_to_nerrada@hotmail.com
► Title; TIME
Call details
TECHNIQUE:
FREE MEDIUM: PAPER OR SIMILAR SIZE
BIDIMENSIONAL: FROM CM. 10 X 15 UNTIL CM. 21 X 29,7 – THICKNESS MAX 5 MM . NO
RETURN, NO FEE, NO CHOISE, NO JURY.
Deadline DECEMBER 2006
Address c/o ANTONIO GRASSI
Via Giusti, 3 20099
Email blackfoot@libero.it
Website http://www.antoniograssi.com
► Title Shame
Call details
Format: Postcard Technique: Any. Am seeking mail art related to shame. Please send handmade
postcard, anonymously, if preferred, sharing what you are most ashamed of. Mail
art is to be included in a book about shame. Am currently seeking exhibit space
to display the collection of artwork related to this
topic. Will send one of my own on shame if address is included, no name
necessary.
Deadline September 30, 2006
Address Juliann M.
POB 513
►Title; Adults Who Play With Crayons
Call
details. Please send
detailed drawings done in crayon for a large International Mail Art Show.
Landscapes, portraits, political, surreal drawings,
abstract etc...all done in crayon. Photographers must include crayons in their
photos. Size: open All works to be displayed at The Lawrence Heritage State
Park Art Gallery in
Deadline
November 2007
Address Send to Sharon
Silverman
► All content on the site is copyright Eddie Willson Ó
1994-2004. Don't reproduce any of it without asking permission first. You can
email me at eddiewillson2000(at)yahoo.co.uk if you've got questions or
feedback about my work, or you just want to get in touch.