About this mail art blog

This mail art blog re-circulates Ray Johnson's Follow Instructions Below. Originally published in the November 1971 issue of Arts Magazine, it was a "mailing event" cleverly devised by the artist in which recipients are asked to alter or add to a photocopy of Rimbaud.



January 26, 2010

From: Becky S.


Brought to you by the mischievous mind of Becky S. and the magic of Crayola Crayons!

Using what appears to be crayon and sharpie, this artist created a wonderful scene set against blue sky by potting some lovely ferns in Rimbaud's eyes as well as outlining his portrait and adding a pair of animated hands.

I am interested here in the tension between the playfulness of the piece (interpreted from the use of crayon and cartoonish drawing style) and the ambiguous pose of Rimbaud (is he gripping his own face or mugging for the camera?).

Most importantly, I love Becky S.'s equation for this drawing:

SIMPLE MEDIA (black pen, crayon) +

EXCELLENT EXECUTION (mad drawing skills!) =

MAIL ART MASTERPIECE

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