CONTENTS.

1.1. Introduction. 13

1.2. Ray Edward Johnson. 14

1.3. Moticos. 23

1.4. Mailart. 26

1.5. Punning. 31

1.6. Orchestrating. 32

1.7. Naming the Activity. 36

1.8. Conclusion. 37

Chapter 2. Fluxus and Postal Ephemera.

2.1. Introduction. 40

2.2. The Conception of Fluxus. 41

2.3. Publications. 45

2.4. Postal Elements. 53

2.5. Postcards. 62

2.6. Conclusion. 64

Chapter 3. The Democratisation of Mailart.

3.1. Introduction. 66

3.2. The Culture of the 1970s. 66

3.3. Magazine Articles. 69

3.4. Exhibitions. 72

3.5. Mail Art Projects. 75

3.6. Exhibiting MAPs. 86

3.7. Documentation. 91

3.8. The Geographical Spread of Mailart. 95

3.9. Conclusion. 104

Chapter 4. Re-considering Mailart.

4.1. Introduction. 105

4.2. The Effect of Photocopying on Mailart. 105

4.3. Congresses. 110

4.4. Tourism. 113

4.5. Politics and Mailart. 118

4.6. Conclusion. 127

Chapter 5. An Evaluation of Mailart in the Second Half of the 1990s.

5.1. Introduction. 129

5.2. Identifying Mailart in the Second Half of the 1990s. 129

5.3. A Comparison of Art & Mailart in Second Half of the 1990s 132

5.4. Is Mailart Art? 139

5.5. The Need for a Mailart Network. 142

5.6. The Importance of Mailart. 144

5.7. The Future of Mailart. 155

5.8. Conclusion. 159

PLATES.

As the majority of the plates are of photocopies, they have been reproduced as such in order to maintain consistency, the plates that are not of photocopies have been reproduced in the same way. All dimensions of works have been given where known.

I have argued that the 'object' in mailart is not the artwork and it is for this reason that I have only reproduced works where it is important in order to understand the text. The considerable number of reproductions of Johnson's work is intended to clarify the points made in the text.

1. Ray Johnson. Untitled - 'RAY' Badge, date unknown. steel multiple. Collection Clive Phillpot, New York.

2. Ray Johnson. Untitled - 'RAY JOHNSON 1927 - 1995.' 1995, multiple photocopy on paper. A4. Collection E.Z. Smith, Fresno, California.

3. Ray Johnson. Moticos photographed on the studio floor. 1955. Photo. Elisabeth Novick.

4. Ray Johnson. Untitled - 'Rimbaud.'1956. Collage with letter. 7 1/4"x 4 3/4". Collection William S. Wilson, New York.

5. Ray Johnson. Untitled - 'Bunnys' 1968 - 1975. Details of drawings on paper, Collection Clive Phillpot, New York.

6. Ray Johnson. Untitled - 'Count Zeppelin.' 1956. Detail. Collage. Size unknown. Location unknown, reproduced in Voice, (January 31, 1995).

7. Ray Johnson. Untitled - 'Buddha University' 1975. Collage, drawing with letter on paper. USA A4. Collection Ronny Cohen, New York.

8. Ray Johnson. Untitled - 'Lumber Party' 1993. photocopy on paper. A4. Collection Michael Lumb, Ipswich.

9. Ray Johnson. Untitled - 'Venice Lockjaw' Badge. 1990. steel multiple. Collection Clive Phillpot, New York.

10.Ray Johnson. Untitled - Envelope Johnson to Lumb. 1992. paper. 240 X 107mm. Collection Michael Lumb, Ipswich.

11.Ray Johnson. Untitled - 'Send Slips to Lucy Lippard'. date unknown. multiple (offset) A4. Collection Edward Plunkett, New York.

12. Ray Johnson. Untitled - 'Bill de Kooning's Bicycle Seat' photocopy on paper, multiple. A4. date unknown. Collection Michael Lumb, Ipswich.

13. Ray Johnson. Untitled - 'Meeting Seating' 1968. drawing on paper. A4. Collection David Bourdon, New York.

14. Ray Johnson. Untitled - 'Nothing' 1974. photocopy on paper. USA A4. Collection Robin Crozier, Sunderland.

15. Ray Johnson. Untitled - 'Snake' 1968. drawing on paper. detail. Collection Suzi Gablik, New York.

16. Nam June Paik. 'The Monthly Review of the University for Avant-Garde Hinduism'. 1963. Collection Gilbert and Lila Silverman, New York.

17. Ken Friedman, James Riddle, Ben Vautier, Robert Watts. 'Flux Post Kit 7' 1968. mixed media. Multiple. Collection Gilbert and Lila Silverman, New York.

18. Robert Watts. 'Safepost / K.U.K. Feldpost /Jokpost.' 1962. Multiple. Collection Gilbert and Lila Silverman, New York.

19. Robert Watts. 'Yamflug / Post 5' 1965. Multiple. Collection Gilbert and Lila Silverman, New York.

20. George Maciunas. 'Fluxpost (Smiles)' 1978. Multiple. Collection Gilbert and Lila Silverman, New York.

21. Ben Vautier. 'The Postman's Choice' 1965. double sided postcard, 8,5 x 14 cm. Multiple. Collection Gilbert and Lila Silverman, New York.

22. Ray Johnson. Untitled - 'Send Letters ...' 1970. Multiple on paper. USA A4. Collection Whitney Museum of American Art, New York.

23. Ryosuke Cohen. Untitled - 'Brain Cell.' 1991. Goccho print. multiple. A3. Collection Michael Lumb, Ipswich.

24. Robin Crozier. 'MEMO(RANDOM) MEMORY.' 1997. A4. Ink on Paper. Collection Michael Lumb, Ipswich.

25. Guglielmo Achille Cavellini. 'Cavellini 1914 - 2014' 103 mm Diameter. Sticker. Collection Michael Lumb, Ipswich.

26. Sal Wood, 'Under My Skin.' 1994. documentation envelope. A4. Collection Michael Lumb, Ipswich.

27. Pawel Petasz, 'Ten Theses' 1981. Page from book, 7 1/2" X 5 7/16." Lino cut Unlimited edition. . Collection Michael Lumb, Ipswich.

28. Pawel Petasz, 'Touching Small Loins and Ideas' 1981. Page from book, edition 22. 7 1/2" X 5 7/16". Offset prints. Collection Michael Lumb, Ipswich.

29. Gerard Barbot, Ryosuke Cohen, Daniel Daligand, John Held Jr., Shigeru Nakayama, Shozo Shimamoto, 'Hiroshima Shadow Project' 1988. Photo reproduced in AU 99. (1. Apr. 1989) Nishomiya Hyogo.

30. Angela & Peter Netmail. Untitled envelope. 1992. A4. Artistamp and Rubberstamps on paper. Collection Michael Lumb, Ipswich.

31. Ryosuke Cohen, 'Neoism' c.1990. Goccho print on envelope. A4. Collection Michael Lumb, Ipswich.

32. Marcello Diotallevi, 'Lettere al Mittente.' 1981. Photograph reproduced in Lightworks, 1 (19). (Winter 1988/89), 56.

33. Letter, Senator Cranston to J. Brian Atwood. July 11th. 1980 reproduced in Padin, C. Solidaridad, self published, Montivideo, 1991, n.p.

34. Various, 'International Art Post.' Vol.3 No.3 - Sheet 6/7, December 1990. Photosilk screen on gummed paper, perforated. 6 1/4" X 5 7/8" Printed by Anna Banana. Collection Michael Lumb, Ipswich.