RJ : Mail-Art in essence is the need to communicate in a creative way, but also to share what you make with someone you choose. These days the Internet has taken over, but the digital communication is different tp the traditioal one. A letter or an enveloppe last longer, take more time to make and to travel, and might survive decades and centuries. With the digital communication you never know how long the answers and visuals will survive. Do you still have your first e-mails? Do you still have access to your first build website?
There is always 'The Network' and 'Your Network' ; they are not the same. When we speak of The Network, we mean the same people, but the perception of your own network is different for everybody him/her-self. You are the center of your network while the network itself has no center. That is a major difference. Probaly also the reason why some don't like the IUOMA-concept since there I created one network with a sollid basis. But also here it is that everybody perceives the IUOMA in their own view, and that is o.k. and even meant to be so.
Showing posts with label Ruud Janssen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ruud Janssen. Show all posts
Thursday, May 5, 2016
CN : What is the importance of Rubberstamp Archive?
RJ : The importance today is that is a collection that has grown over the years. I started sending out the TAM rubberstamp sheets back in 1983, and that is now over 33 years ago. As a mail-art project is the longest run project and it still going on.
The main collection exists of prints by mail-artists that use rubberstamps i their works. So all I asked was an imprint on a piece of paper, and am storing that away for safe keeping.
That is collection is interesting shows the exhibitions so far:
1996 : Stamp Art Gallery in San Francisco
2004 : L-Gallery in Moscow
2010 : Stendhal Gallery in New York
So, in the near future another exhibition will take place soon, but always just with a selection from the archive. There are just too many sheets in the collection to exhibit them all. Although that will be the final goal, and the place where that will be might even get the offer to curate the final collection.
The main collection exists of prints by mail-artists that use rubberstamps i their works. So all I asked was an imprint on a piece of paper, and am storing that away for safe keeping.
That is collection is interesting shows the exhibitions so far:
1996 : Stamp Art Gallery in San Francisco
2004 : L-Gallery in Moscow
2010 : Stendhal Gallery in New York
So, in the near future another exhibition will take place soon, but always just with a selection from the archive. There are just too many sheets in the collection to exhibit them all. Although that will be the final goal, and the place where that will be might even get the offer to curate the final collection.
CN : How did you get involved with mail art?
RJ : In 1980 I started with sending out envelopes into the network. Some years before I probably saw an exhibition of Donals Evans works in a locat exhibition and as a child I was fascinated by mail and postage. So the creativity and the fascinations joined together and made me the interest for the network and exploring it.
Sunday, May 31, 2015
MTS : Do you know what happened to Norman Solomon?
Ruud Janssen: Actually I don't know what happened to him. I was in the middle of the interview when I got the e-mail he died, and it was from Mrs. Postcard. Not sure if it was from his wife or not since that was the only thing i heard. I knew he had cancer, and not long to live, but more details are not known. His wife went back to japan. I heard he had a son, but never got any knews from the family. So on facebook I started to ask questions too, maybe to find out what happened even a decade or so later.....?
for the complete interview, have a look at : http://www.iuoma.org/postcard.html
for the complete interview, have a look at : http://www.iuoma.org/postcard.html
Monday, June 27, 2011
Guroga: How you knew the mail art?
Guroga: How you knew the mail art?
Ruud Janssen: I was doing mail-art before I knew there was a network. In the 70-ies doing correspondence and in 1980 discovered the network. Have been part of that network ever since. Guy Bleus (Belgium) sent me a first addresslist and there I started contacting the network.....
Ruud Janssen: I was doing mail-art before I knew there was a network. In the 70-ies doing correspondence and in 1980 discovered the network. Have been part of that network ever since. Guy Bleus (Belgium) sent me a first addresslist and there I started contacting the network.....
Friday, October 30, 2009
Johnny Boy : Social Networking and potentials?
JB : You have been one of the first mail artists to embrace computer communication. How do you judge all this frantic social networking going on? Do you think that we have fulfilled all the potentials one could barely foresee 15 years ago?
RJ : You have seen nothing yet. The Social Network I created on NING is a sample of what can be done already. And Twitter and Google Wave (I am one of the first to get an account there from Google and am now exploring that search-engine / social networking / communication tool they have build). The communication has become global and instant. But when you are moving around the globe (I tend to be in other countries quite a few times) it is amazing how your network joins you on your travels. The changes and potentials were obviously there already in the beginning of the 90-ies. Some of us (Mark Bloch, crackerjack kid, Charles François, David Cole, were already using computers for their communications. The speed and availabilities has become common these days, and that explains the easiness of which also the old and new generation of mail-artists use all of the new and all tools just to communicate in a creative way. The Eternal network has become a large community.
RJ : You have seen nothing yet. The Social Network I created on NING is a sample of what can be done already. And Twitter and Google Wave (I am one of the first to get an account there from Google and am now exploring that search-engine / social networking / communication tool they have build). The communication has become global and instant. But when you are moving around the globe (I tend to be in other countries quite a few times) it is amazing how your network joins you on your travels. The changes and potentials were obviously there already in the beginning of the 90-ies. Some of us (Mark Bloch, crackerjack kid, Charles François, David Cole, were already using computers for their communications. The speed and availabilities has become common these days, and that explains the easiness of which also the old and new generation of mail-artists use all of the new and all tools just to communicate in a creative way. The Eternal network has become a large community.
Johnny Boy : Average each month?
JB : In 1996 you were sending out an average of about 150 pieces of mail art each month. how about now?
RJ : That all depends on what month it is. Could be very little or about hundred pieces. The communication-forms that have come as extra absorb the most time. I get about 700 e-mails a days through which I have to filter. Not just spam, but also because of the many websites and blogs that are online and generate e-mail. If you calculate that, about 20,000 pieces of information coming at you in a month. It might drive one crazy when you don’t select. The snail-mail has become scarce. A pile of letters each day still get in, and yes, I do my best to reply to them, but like most can imagine, time to do all is difficult to find.
RJ : That all depends on what month it is. Could be very little or about hundred pieces. The communication-forms that have come as extra absorb the most time. I get about 700 e-mails a days through which I have to filter. Not just spam, but also because of the many websites and blogs that are online and generate e-mail. If you calculate that, about 20,000 pieces of information coming at you in a month. It might drive one crazy when you don’t select. The snail-mail has become scarce. A pile of letters each day still get in, and yes, I do my best to reply to them, but like most can imagine, time to do all is difficult to find.
Johnny Boy : Did you withdrew from the network?
JB : In the late 1990s, when I first joined the mail art network, you gradually withdrew from it, only keeping in touch with a handful of close friends. Why did you do that? Did the diatribe surrounding the Faker play a role in this?
RJ : I didn’t withdrew quite like that. I stayed active with quite a few, but the Internet and the Fluxus Heidelberg Center took a lot of our time and energy too. Not sure what you mean with ‘the Faker’and what aspect you asking here about. For most people who will read this they have no idea of what you are talking about. New borders within mail-art were being researched and found. Actually the Mail-Art Interview project was going on since 1996 and that meant I was focusing on that 80+ mail-artists that I interviewed. So in these late 90-ies I was quite active but with a smaller and selective group. Those were the most hectic times and I published ten thousands of booklets which were distributed too. Sending less mail-art only came about in the beginning of this new century. Also because of my moving to Breda, new Job, Marriage, just to name a few major changes in my life.
RJ : I didn’t withdrew quite like that. I stayed active with quite a few, but the Internet and the Fluxus Heidelberg Center took a lot of our time and energy too. Not sure what you mean with ‘the Faker’and what aspect you asking here about. For most people who will read this they have no idea of what you are talking about. New borders within mail-art were being researched and found. Actually the Mail-Art Interview project was going on since 1996 and that meant I was focusing on that 80+ mail-artists that I interviewed. So in these late 90-ies I was quite active but with a smaller and selective group. Those were the most hectic times and I published ten thousands of booklets which were distributed too. Sending less mail-art only came about in the beginning of this new century. Also because of my moving to Breda, new Job, Marriage, just to name a few major changes in my life.
Johnny Boy : What about Fluxus Heidelberg Center?
JB : When did you and your partner Litsa Spathi come up with the Fluxus Heidelberg monicker, and why? What was the motivation behind it?
RJ : It is strange that you name it a monicker. For us the Fluxus Heidelberg Center is an important center. The collection of Fluxus Books we have in the center is larger than most libraries we know. We are also in contact with a larger group that are following the spirits of Fluxus. Also the center publishes its own documents in book form as well as in digital form. Litsa Spathi is the creator of Fluxus Heidelberg Center. I was in Heidelberg when we started to work on that. I was honored with the title co-founder. Litsa has been active in that area for a long time. Together we have conceived lots of Fluxus Scores and Performance that we actually did in Germany, Netherlands and Greece. The first 3 years were even published in a book. The motivation is simple. We both follow the spirits of Fluxus. We are (were) in contact with members of the first generation like Dick Higgins, Alison Knowles, Yoko Ono, Ray Johnson, Norman Solomon, Ken Friedman, and also the active bunch that associates themselves with the new Fluxus and Fluxlist. Litsa has her own Fluxlist Europe and actually a lot more activities with het Fluxus Poetry.
The motivation was to be short to find a platform to gather all the activities and information’s we were confronted with. Performances in the digital ages means that you have to include the new digital techniques too. Performances with camera’s, videos, all kind of new media in performances has quite an impact. Mail-Art and Fluxus are two different things. Both avoid the normal ways that the Artworld wants us to go, that is one of the aspects that makes them work together sometimes.
RJ : It is strange that you name it a monicker. For us the Fluxus Heidelberg Center is an important center. The collection of Fluxus Books we have in the center is larger than most libraries we know. We are also in contact with a larger group that are following the spirits of Fluxus. Also the center publishes its own documents in book form as well as in digital form. Litsa Spathi is the creator of Fluxus Heidelberg Center. I was in Heidelberg when we started to work on that. I was honored with the title co-founder. Litsa has been active in that area for a long time. Together we have conceived lots of Fluxus Scores and Performance that we actually did in Germany, Netherlands and Greece. The first 3 years were even published in a book. The motivation is simple. We both follow the spirits of Fluxus. We are (were) in contact with members of the first generation like Dick Higgins, Alison Knowles, Yoko Ono, Ray Johnson, Norman Solomon, Ken Friedman, and also the active bunch that associates themselves with the new Fluxus and Fluxlist. Litsa has her own Fluxlist Europe and actually a lot more activities with het Fluxus Poetry.
The motivation was to be short to find a platform to gather all the activities and information’s we were confronted with. Performances in the digital ages means that you have to include the new digital techniques too. Performances with camera’s, videos, all kind of new media in performances has quite an impact. Mail-Art and Fluxus are two different things. Both avoid the normal ways that the Artworld wants us to go, that is one of the aspects that makes them work together sometimes.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Karys Llewellyn: What are your thoughts on forms of modern communications tools such as social networking sites, email and text message?
KL: What are your thoughts on forms of modern communications tools such as social networking sites, email and text message?
RJ : I have always experimented with the new forms of communication. In the 80-ies I was working with a BBS (Bulletin Board Service) to explore the digital distribution of a mail-art project magazine. The last years I have again experimented with a blog with over 90 authors that publish their mail-art projects online (see: http://www.mailartprojects.blogspot.com/). Besides the live environment I also archive al the mail-art projects information on a website in the form of .PDF files to ensure that the information will be available for many years (see: http://www.iuoma.org/mailartprojectsarchive.html). The websites come and go, the digital files that archived well will live a bit longer. It is my concern that the digital information will vanish when we don't archive things well enough.
Social Networking Sites are a relative new thing. On http://iuoma-network.ning.com/ I am experimenting with a platform where the IUOMA was brought to life again. Over 600 IUOMA-members are now lively exchanging information and are starting projects. Digital and paper projects are integrated and that works fascinatingly well. A new thing that happens is that a new generation learns about mail-art though these websites and networks. The strat with a digital address to fins a real address. Again here I document the developement of these digital explorations in the form of books. The first 500 IUOMA-members were documented in a digital LuLu publication that can be transformed in ea book when someone just orders the book. The digital version of the book is available for free (hundreds have downloaded the book). The hardcopy versiopn only has been printed a few times for members. They will survive the coming decades for sure which I can't say for the Social Networks who will 'explode' one of these days because commercial aspects of websites are coming to the surface.
RJ : I have always experimented with the new forms of communication. In the 80-ies I was working with a BBS (Bulletin Board Service) to explore the digital distribution of a mail-art project magazine. The last years I have again experimented with a blog with over 90 authors that publish their mail-art projects online (see: http://www.mailartprojects.blogspot.com/). Besides the live environment I also archive al the mail-art projects information on a website in the form of .PDF files to ensure that the information will be available for many years (see: http://www.iuoma.org/mailartprojectsarchive.html). The websites come and go, the digital files that archived well will live a bit longer. It is my concern that the digital information will vanish when we don't archive things well enough.
Social Networking Sites are a relative new thing. On http://iuoma-network.ning.com/ I am experimenting with a platform where the IUOMA was brought to life again. Over 600 IUOMA-members are now lively exchanging information and are starting projects. Digital and paper projects are integrated and that works fascinatingly well. A new thing that happens is that a new generation learns about mail-art though these websites and networks. The strat with a digital address to fins a real address. Again here I document the developement of these digital explorations in the form of books. The first 500 IUOMA-members were documented in a digital LuLu publication that can be transformed in ea book when someone just orders the book. The digital version of the book is available for free (hundreds have downloaded the book). The hardcopy versiopn only has been printed a few times for members. They will survive the coming decades for sure which I can't say for the Social Networks who will 'explode' one of these days because commercial aspects of websites are coming to the surface.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Van M. Cagle: How about an Interview with you?
VMC: I would like to interview you and also Michael Hernandez de Luna. I need a little assistance. I cannot find de Luna on your website. Is he a member of the IUOMA? Please let me know about the interview with you. We'd probably have to do it via email, since our time differences are so drastic. If this poses problems, I can try to think of another solution.
RJ : About interviewing me; no problem. Just realize that it sometimes takes time for me to answer. About Michael Hernandez de Luna, I am not sure about having an e-mail address. Maybe just google it?
RJ : About interviewing me; no problem. Just realize that it sometimes takes time for me to answer. About Michael Hernandez de Luna, I am not sure about having an e-mail address. Maybe just google it?
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Luciana Tamas: What you think gAsPexT isn't?
LT: Mr. Janssen, I will not insist now with a new question. What follows is, actually, a request: please write me what you think that gAsPexT isn't... The posibilities are infinite and you are one of those people who can find a plausible answer in front of infinity...
RJ : Yes, I will write you what gAsPexT isn't. Not on this blog, but it will be a piece of Mail that will be on it's way soon to you. Thanks for your time to interview me. I am looking foreward to see the complete result.
RJ : Yes, I will write you what gAsPexT isn't. Not on this blog, but it will be a piece of Mail that will be on it's way soon to you. Thanks for your time to interview me. I am looking foreward to see the complete result.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
6 kilo's of Mail-Interviews
Today my order of books from LuLu arrived. 6 kilo's of Mail-Interviews. As you can see the books are quite thick. Some are 360+ pages thick. If you are interested, you can order one or all of them yourself at: http://stores.lulu.com/iuoma The copies that arrived in Breda now are for the TAM-Archive itself. The selling of the books goes quite well. About 50 are already sold and are now in some Mail-Art collections for sure. I am working on a new book as well. Details will follow when the time is right.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
An Electronic Interview with Ruud Janssen
After The Mail-Interview Project this is a new concept. The answers with illustrations come automatically after the questions are placed. It just seems that there are no question in the first week. Do you have a question for me? Just leave it here in a comment!
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Ongoing Interview
This is a simple blog. Leave your question as a comment, and I will repeat your question and give an answer. I will keep this blog low-profile. The persons that are really interested in knowing things surely will find this blog and will ask. If not, the blog will stay online with just this first remark.
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