Why postcard projects seem so popular at the moment?
Certainly they are cheap and small, resulting in being available and democratic, a good start. They can lift spirits, being neither bills nor advert flyers. Historically the rise of postal communication in the 1800’s fostered long-distance discussions on art and philosophy, the sharing of ideas with the like-minded, the so called Republic of Letters.
Today, the physical sharing of post gives us a chance to
reconnect our book art network, our very own Republic of Postcards.
So why are we still sending postcards?
Postcards were sent home from travels, the precursors of selfies from a mobile. It was sometimes an effort to decide what to write home as news, the communication seeming both a slight obligation and perhaps a chance to boast.
Project Time…
Georges Perec [a French novelist, filmmaker, documentarist, and essayist] parodied these postcard messages in Two Hundred and Forty-three Postcards in Real Colour, dedicated to his fellow writer and friend Italo Calvino.
A brief line from Brighton. Getting a tan in the English sun.
Have met lots of friendly folk.
Will phone when I get back end of August.-Georges Perec 1974
http://shanerichmond.net/shane-richmond/1124
A call for participation from MAMDP alumna Linda Parr…
“Help us to make these imaginary postcards become reality, become postal
postmodernists in a Grand Tour via Perec’s Postcards.
If you would like to take part, please email Linda at: lindasusanparr@gmail.com to be sent one of Perec’s messages for your postcard, and illustrate the card in ‘Real Colour’. Buy, make, draw, collage, paint, stamp or print your response, it’s up to you.
15 x 10 cm landscape format.
We will exhibit all the postcards together at UWE Bower Ashton Library in 2021, and find other ways to publicly celebrate the project.”
My Contribution…
Blue Falcon Words & Pictures 