Brian Cell is a mail art project begun by Ryosuke Cohen in June 1985. The project is basically a networked art project where individual artists create their own 30x42 cm work of art with artist stamps,
drawings, stickers and so on. This is sent to Cohen, who prints each
cell - 150 copies each - with a Cyclostyle
(now out of production). One copy is sent to the author, as well as
other participants. New editions are published every 8 to 10 days. As of
January 2011, there have been 811 issues (I think). You can see most of them in the blog Brain Cell Compilation.
Cohen described the origin of the project's name in 1985:
"Well, I’ll title my work “Brain Cell”, because the structure of a
brain through a microscope looks like the diagram of the Mail Art
network. Thousands of Neurons clung and piled up together are just like
the Mail Art network, I believe."
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| I've got two issues so far: nº 796 and 807 |
Call
Please send me your stamp design, rubber stamp, or 150 stickers or seals.
I will print or paste these materials onto the A3 size paper, creating 150
sheets. I will then send a sheet back with a list of addresses to each participant.
I will publish at intervals of 8 to 10 days at that time will include 60 people
or so. Brain Cell is always seeking a change, does not intend to settle and
care of it’s extension of the Network. So... don’t mail a lump of stuff
for several issues. Please send them to me one issue at a time, Thank you!
Ryosuke Cohen c/o Brain Cell
3-76-1-A-613
3-76-1-A-613
Yagumokitacho Moriguchi
City Osaka 570
Japan
My contribution:
I think it amazing how he produces new sheets every ten days! My compliments for this hard working man, full of enthousiasm even after so many years!
ReplyDeleteAnd he succeeds in getting people, mail artists, connected.
Glad to see you have received Brain Cell forms, too! I treasure the ones I've received. Though some people are able to cut or tear the A3 papers (I can't...) and pass it on as a new work of mail art (see http://brain-cell-compilation.blogspot.com/search/label/BRAIN%20CELL%20ADD%20AND%20PASS ).
Impressive that you went the sticker route, Eva.
ReplyDeleteI am not sure I could alter the sheet either, Heleen. I would consider framing it, it would look pretty neat hanging on the wall.