Mail Art Bag

'Envelope' ©09evertson

*** A good week for mail art at the very least! On Monday I was able to send off a piece to Wee-Hoo's (Jennifer Zoellner) Chromatophore project. The photo above shows the piece all packed with my message and ready to be sealed and delivered to the post office.

Writing words for inclosure in Chromatophore envelope

I borrowed the wire mesh media I have been using for several works in progress to construct an envelope. My 'message' was rendered in molten solder words.

'Traveling Man' totem ©09evertson

I also made a traveling man totem to enclose. Ultimately this media tends to be a bit fragile and I'll have to wait a bit to see how the post office makes out with it.

Several things were on my mind as I constructed the piece. My uncle Jack was quite a traveler. He worked for ARAMCO (Arabian American Oil Company) and spent most of his life overseas. I hardly ever saw him but on occasion he would sent postcards of exotic locations. His only message to me was the all purpose "wish you were here". I've always pondered those words as we really didn't have a relationship outside of blood. I've used those words in many pieces; sometimes referencing an actual location, but often a state of mind.

In this particular piece for Chromatophore those words and others were constructed and included in the envelope. They are included without instruction for their assembly into phrases and left for the viewer to assemble (or decode) as preferred.

The meaning is ambiguous; left to chance or layering of meanings. I was in particular inspired by the Italian poet Antonio Porchia and a quote from his work Voces, "I know what I have given you, I do not know what you have received."

Mail Art received from Rachel Freeman

In other mail art news; I received a couple of nice collages from Rachel Freeman the other day. Thanks Rachel :) I'll work up a return at first light! Rachel's work can be found here.