During the 1960’s French writer Georges Perec wrote 243 imaginary postcard messages to his friend and fellow OuLiPo writer Italo Calvino. The messages parody holiday makers enjoying carefree holidays worldwide. They talk of new friends made, experiences, food and much sunburn. In 2020, artist and curator Linda Parr set about bringing these postcards to life in the form of ‘Two Hundred and Forty-three Postcards in Real Colour.” To do this Parr put out a call which received an energetic response from artists, writers and creatives worldwide.
I contributed two postcards to this project. I received two of these messages and I set about making a response to both. My focus at the time was making prints at home with the materials I had to hand. This time was of course during lockdown and the pandemic had set limitations on my art practice so I chose to work within the same boundaries. Coincidentally, I was also researching Perec’s writing for my dissertation and his work had guided me through continuing my art practice away from the studio.
The exhibition of these works were launched at BABE for The Lost Weekend in 2020 and were exhibited at Bower Ashton Library, UWE Bristol in summer 2021.
Here are my postcards together with the messages that I received.
“We’ve pitched the tent near Utica. Lots of lazing about and sleep. We go to the beach. I’ve made stacks of friends. Fondest love.“
“A letter from La Marsa. What a beach! I nearly got sunstroke. Leaving again on Saturday evening for Sicily and Italy.“
The postcards were made from food boxes that were heading for recycling bin and the images were a combination of everyday items made from scanography prints and photocopies on my home printer.
