The mail factor
mail art, affiche 70 X 110 cm, 2005 - œuvre d'art postale élaborée à l'occasion de l'exposition Iso au Factor 44 à Anvers (Belgique).
L'œuvre est une affiche représentant un dessin technique qui a été découpée en 44 morceaux identiques. Chaque morceau a été numéroté afin de pouvoir recréer l'affiche originale. Les morceaux ont été envoyés un par un par la poste selon le rythme d'un par jour. L'affiche a été recomposée pour l'exposition dans l'ordre d'arrivée des morceaux.
When Factor 44 invited me to take part in ISO, I felt in the skin of a film-maker who must create a film with a subject given by a producer. I was interested in working with that feeling. Could I find a script which would reflect the context of the exhibition? A script which would fit the equation: producer + object-subject + artist-director = art piece? I was looking for the meaning of the "+" in the equation. I concentrated my research on the first part of the equation: producer + object-subject. I was now looking for a production process in which I, the artist, would have minimum input into the art piece.
the different meanings of the word "factor" provided me with the process. First, "factor" means "an agent, a depositary". the second meaning is a mathematical meaning: "factor" is "the number which divides another in a division". the third meaning is "an element that produces a result". In French, you can translate the word "factor" by the world "facteur", which also means a post-man!
I decided that the process of production of my art piece would be determined by what I call "the mail factor".
I divided the technical drawing into 44 equal parts and put a number on each so that I would be able to recreate the drawing.
Each day (except Sundays and 15 August), ie for 44 days, I sent a part to F44 in numerical order (first day: part number 1; second day: part number 2; and so on).
F44 archived each of the parts in order of arrival.
this process created a new order.
I recreated the drawing using that new order.
(extrait du catalogue ISO Mathématique, éditions Fact Or, Anvers, 2005
traduction : Anne Buckingham)