mail art

Imprint 93 @Printed Matter in New York

An archive exhibition of the 90s’ collaborative mail art project

Printed Matter presents Imprint 93, an archive exhibition focused on the 90s collaborative mail art project conceived and carried out by Matthew Higgs. Originating at the Whitechapel Gallery in 2016, this presentation marks the first US showing of the project in its entirety, including many rarely-seen works and related ephemera. Please join us for an opening reception at Printed Matter on Friday, January 19, 6-8PM.

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On occasion of the exhibition, we’re pleased to present new photocopy editions by Jeremy Deller, Peter Doig, and Martin Creed (signed and numbered, edition of 50 each), as as well as a second printing of Elizabeth Peyton’s ‘Untitled’ Imprint contribution, a french-fold zine featuring video stills of Kurt Cobain performing in 1993. More details forthcoming – please email news@printedmatter.org.

Between 1993 and 1998, Matthew Higgs, artist, writer and current Director of White Columns, produced and distributed more than fifty works through his publishing project Imprint 93. An administrator at an advertising agency by day and influential curator by night, Higgs invited artists to create works of art that could fit inside an envelope to be distributed, unsolicited, by mail to an informal group of friends, artists, and curators. Financed by himself and printed on an office photocopier, Imprint 93 served as an ongoing curatorial project which did not necessitate a space, circumvented traditional art world structures, and offered a unique platform and network for artists to distribute their work.

The artists involved in Imprint 93 were often at the beginnings of their careers, working on the periphery of the then emerging ‘YBA’ movement. The exhibition features the work of Fiona Banner, Billy Childish, Martin Creed, Jeremy Deller, Peter Doig, Ceal Floyer, Stewart Home, Alan Kane, Hilary Lloyd, Paul Noble, Chris Ofili, Elizabeth Peyton, Bob and Roberta Smith, Jessica Voorsanger and Stephen Willats, among others. Imprint 93 was also closely linked to influential and emerging artist-centered initiatives such as London’s City Racing and Cabinet Gallery.

Highlights from Imprint 93 include Elizabeth Peyton’s Untitled (1995), made from a sequence of video-stills of Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain performing in 1993, and Martin Creed’s Work no. 88 (1994), a crumpled ball of A4 paper that Higgs and Creed sent to the Tate Gallery but was returned to them, flattened inside an envelope, ‘rejected’ as an unsolicited donation.

Bringing together this rarely-seen collection of Imprint 93 editions in its entirety, the exhibition offers unique insight into a significant period in the development of the British art scene of the 1990s, and beyond.

This exhibition is co-organized by Whitechapel Gallery, London, and curated by Nayia Yiakoumaki with Matthew Higgs.

For more information please contact Keith Gray, Programming and Press Coordinator, at Keith@printedmatter.org

Mail Art ~ Honorary MA in Fine Art

Jessica Voorsanger created several mail art projects, starting early in her career. They consisted of her writing a large quantity of similar letters to a range of well known people within a particular theme. The letters she wrote were almost identical, so that they viewer only needed to read a few of her letters and could concentrate on the range of responses that she received. The projects included: Baby Shower, Birthday Party, Christmas Card Project, etc.

The Honorary MA in Fine Art  was project from the  Mail Art Series . A random selection of well-known people/celebrities were sent letters indicating that if they returned the enclosed application form from the LCCA (Leytonstone Centre for Contemporary Art) they would receive an honorary MA in Fine Art. The application form requested that the recipient make a drawing of their favourite celebrity or hero. The only respondees were Michael Barrymore who made a drawing of Prince Naseem, the boxer and Robert Carlyle who sent a press photo. Michael Barrymore received a First Class degree and Robert Carlyle received a Third Class degree. A list of recipients of the original letter was included in the installation as well as all of the returned information.

Mail Art ~ Christmas Card Project

Jessica Voorsanger created several mail art projects, starting early in her career. They consisted of her writing a large quantity of similar letters to a range of well known people within a particular theme. The letters she wrote were almost identical, so that they viewer only needed to read a few of her letters and could concentrate on the range of responses that she received. The projects included: Baby Shower, Birthday Party, Christmas Card Project, etc.

Christmas Card Project  was a project from the  Mail Art Series  held at The Musee des Beaux Arts de Dunkerque (France) as part of the exhibition  Les Merveilles du Monde . Over 40 letters were sent requesting christmas cards. The final installation consisted of copies of all of the original letters sent, all of the replies and Christmas confetti. The exhibition was not held over the Christmas holiday.

Mail Art ~ Birthday Party

Jessica Voorsanger created several mail art projects, starting early in her career. They consisted of her writing a large quantity of similar letters to a range of well known people within a particular theme. The letters she wrote were almost identical, so that they viewer only needed to read a few of her letters and could concentrate on the range of responses that she received. The projects included: Baby Shower, Birthday Party, Christmas Card Project, etc.

The Birthday Party  was a project from the  Mail Art Series  held at Cubitt Street Gallery in 1994 to coincide with Jessica Voorsanger’s birthday on the 28 th  of August. The project was held as both an event, like  The Baby Shower , as well as an installation. Over 77 letters were sent by her father, prior to the event, requesting birthday cards. The final installation consisted of over 300 balloons, music, copies of all of the original letters sent, all of the replies and food. Visitors were invited to bring a gift for the Jessica. Some of the respondees were: President Clinton, Richard Avedon and Jeff Koons.

Mail Art ~ Baby Shower

Jessica Voorsanger created several mail art projects, starting early in her career. They consisted of her writing a large quantity of similar letters to a range of well known people within a particular theme. The letters she wrote were almost identical, so that they viewer only needed to read a few of her letters and could concentrate on the range of responses that she received. The projects included: Baby Shower, Birthday Party, Christmas Card Project, etc.

Baby Shower The Baby Shower was a project from the Mail Art Series held at the Camden Arts Centre in 1995 to coincide with the birth of Jessica Voorsanger’s first child. The project was held as both an event, like The Birthday Party , as well as an installation. Over 55 letters were sent prior to the birth of the child requesting congratulation cards. There was an indication that the baby may be named after the recipient of the letter. The final installation consisted of over 300 balloons, music, copies of all of the original letters sent, all of the replies and food. Visitors were invited to bring a gift for the baby. The baby’s birth certificate was also on display, where in the end she was named after the best respondees of her gender, with the exception of Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull whose reply was exemplary. The baby’s middle names are: Ruby (Wax) Rula (Lenska) Twiggy Joanna (Lumley) Hayley (Mills) Emma (Freud) Jethro.