iuoma.org – Interested in Mail-Art?

welcome to the International Union of Mail-Artists. This Blog gives you information and links to all activities undertaken by Ruud Janssen, who started with Mail-Art in 1980 and is still active.

Lecture in Maastricht – 2011

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This is me, giving a lecture in the Hedah in Maastricht, Netherlands. Organized by Rod Summers.

The complete details:

AGORA GEROEZEMOES

29 April – 24 June 2011
OPENING: 29 April, 21.00h
FINISAGE: 24 June, 21.00h

OPEN: Fri-Sun 13h-17h

MAIL ART, VIDEO ART, PERFORMANCE AND LECTURES

Having just returned from Italy in 1972, the artsits Theo van der Aa and Ger van Dijck established in Maastricht the widely recognized initiative Agora Studio which was one of the leading art initiatives in the Netherlands until the 80s.

With astounding projects from all around the world and self administered art publications, Agora accomplished a central role within an international network of artists working with former avant-garde expressions such as performance, video-art, mail-art and sound-art.

OPENING NIGHT FRIDAY APRIL 29:

Round table discussion with amongst others Guido Goosens, Theo van deer Aa, Ger van Dijck and Rod Summers, broadcasted live on Amsterdam cable television as part of ‘De Hoeskteen Live a cross media workshop’ initiated by the Amsterdam artist Raul Marroquin.
Music by Legal Fiction: Rosalie Wammes, Lucas Kramer, Martijn Riksen and Emmanuel Riksen

FRIDAY MAY 27:
13.00h M2M
Mailart-project initiated by the Maastricht artist Rod Summers
15.00h Reading by Caroline Dumalin, art critic (English)
15.30h Reading by Anna Banana, mailartist (English)
16.00h Performance by Anna Banana
21.00h Mailart performance by/amongst others
Anna Banana, Rod Summers, broadcasted live on De Hoeksteen Live

SATURDAY MAY 28:
13.00h

Postcards and Fluxus Words – Ruud Janssen

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In 2005 I made a batch of postcards. Thick carton with acrylic paint. SOme I kept for my own collection, some were sent into the network. I digitized them all, so I can still share them with you. Have a look for the fluxus words at the bloig:

http://fluxuswords.blogspot.nl/

There is an overview of those cards and also some envelopes with specific Fluxus Wors. Also it explains for you what I consider a Fluxus Word.

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The score for Fluxus Words is simple:

FLUXUS WORDS

There are so many words that have a meaning. Try to invent a new one and give it meaning. Promote the words and get it into the head of as many others as possible.SCORE : FLUXUS WORDS
By Ruud Janssen1. Think of a new word that doesn

Mail to Ray Johnson – USA

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In the beginning 90-ies I sent this enveloppe to Ray Johnson. Also got replies from him, but only discovered this envelope recently because it is shown on:

http://observer.com/2012/03/ray-johnson-estate-has-a-new-website-rich-with-mail-art-performance-documentation-ephemera/

A newspaper article in which they tell about the Ray Johnson Estate that has a large website with items from and to Ray.

The envelope also contained the “This part is CENSORED” sticker, which was in the 90-ies part of the first CENSORISM project where I

Painted CD’s

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In the years before and after 2000 I started with a production of painted CD’s. I documented them with albums and a complete Blog that is online at:

http://paintedcds.blogspot.nl/

The goal was to exhibit them, but the place I was hoping/looking for didn’t succeed. Maybe a new chance will come in the future when the CD’s are a unknown object for the new generation…..

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TAM was HERE project by Ruud Janssen

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This project was done in the 80-ies. I documented it on: http://tamwashere.blogspot.nl/ so you can have a good overview of the project. It was a typical Add & return project, where the result was exhibited in the Milkyway (Melkweg) Gallery in Amsterdam in 1985. Also I brought the collection to Ponte Nossa in Northern Italy, where I met Emilio Morandi and his family and exhibited the collection in his gallery.

As the Internet and computers came, I digitized the collection too and made the blog. Also on facebook I made a page of the project so it is now accessible to the world too. Have a look at: https://www.facebook.com/tamwashere

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The Gallery had their own magazine in which the exhibition was announced (see above), and invitations were sent out (zee below)

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Some contributions are historic, like the one of Joki (above). One of the themes was energy and the running out of it. The move to Nuclear Energy and the effect of all of what humans are doing.

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In Ponta Nossa (Italy) I also did a performance (above) which is documented too.

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And also political statements since the Eastern-Germany was active in the mail-art network quite a bit. mail from DDR was a treasure in those days.

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Paintings by Ruud Janssen

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On the old www.iuoma.org website I also documented some of my art. Always with low resolution, and not that good to look at. I am now placing the images in better resolution. Just click on them and see them full size. All made with acrylic paint on canvas. Size 60×40 and larger. These were exhibited too.