Artist Trading Cards
Collecting Personal Mementos in a Globalized World
Laura Keeney
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Globalization and Me: Annotated Bibliography
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Research Brief
Introduction
“Sure, it doesn't lead to fame and fortune, but if you stay in it long enough
eventually you see some incredible things you can't see anywhere else."
- Josh Ronsen (As cited in Calhoun, 2001, para. 5)
eventually you see some incredible things you can't see anywhere else."
- Josh Ronsen (As cited in Calhoun, 2001, para. 5)
Artist Trading Cards and Mail Art are inspiring, easy, and inclusive ways to collect and share art with others. Artist Trading Cards (ATC) are miniature works of art (2.5”x3.5”) created specifically for trade. This trading network occurs in person, over the Internet, through the mail, and through ATC conventions and workshops (Driscoll and Illingworth, 2008, el-Habre, 2008, Driscoll, 2010). Heck (2009) states, “ATC movement has several inspiring and countercultural aspects: it's noncommercial, it's egalitarian, it's personal…” (p.47). The Artist Trading Card movement traces back to the 1950’s in Switzerland, and has since grown to include students (Bovio, 2011), novice and professional artists (Calhoun, 2001, Driscoll, 2010, Katharine, 2011, Marion, 2008), teachers (Bovio, 2011, Marion, 2008), and even the homeless (Marin, 2009), around the globe.
History
“Artforall 2010 was attended by over 50 artists from all across the
globe, including over fifteen US States, Canada, the UK, and Australia”
- Dana Driscoll (Driscoll, 2010, p.15)
globe, including over fifteen US States, Canada, the UK, and Australia”
- Dana Driscoll (Driscoll, 2010, p.15)
Artist Trading Cards are a form of mail art, originally initiated by Marcel Duchamp in the early 20th century and reinitiated later in the 1950’s by artist Ray Johnson (Brenner, 2001). Johnson sent out hundreds of mini-masterpieces to fellow artists as well as museums and the mail art movement began (Brenner, 2001). Eventually, this postcard mail art movement became known as the New York Correspondence School of Art, and in 1970, mail art had its first showing in the Whitney Museum of Art (Brenner, 2001). Following the exhibition, the mail art movement spread to numerous networks throughout the nation (Brenner, 2001).
In 1996, Swiss artist, Vänçi Stirnemann, inspired by the American trading practice of baseball cards in America, began making sports card size artworks and trading them with others (Heck, 2009, Schiebe, 2008, Driscoll & Illingworth, 2008). Stirnemann initially created over 1000 trading cards and began trading them at a local bookstore with anyone who was willing to trade, keeping with the sports card trading culture (Driscoll & Illingworth, 2008). This concept of “A Collaborative Cultural Performance” (Driscoll & Illingworth, 2008, p. 10) quickly spread throughout the world (Schiebe, 2008) creating a creative culture of trade and inspiration among all participants.
In 1996, Swiss artist, Vänçi Stirnemann, inspired by the American trading practice of baseball cards in America, began making sports card size artworks and trading them with others (Heck, 2009, Schiebe, 2008, Driscoll & Illingworth, 2008). Stirnemann initially created over 1000 trading cards and began trading them at a local bookstore with anyone who was willing to trade, keeping with the sports card trading culture (Driscoll & Illingworth, 2008). This concept of “A Collaborative Cultural Performance” (Driscoll & Illingworth, 2008, p. 10) quickly spread throughout the world (Schiebe, 2008) creating a creative culture of trade and inspiration among all participants.
Keeping it Personal
“With ATCs, I love to draw things that have a personal attachment”
- Joel Armstrong (as cited in Melion, 2008, p. 17).
- Joel Armstrong (as cited in Melion, 2008, p. 17).
Artist Trading Cards are an inclusive way for students, artists, teachers, craft enthusiasts or novice art-makers to participate in a cultural community while sharing and learning about the artwork and lives of other traders. This cultural exchange includes the artist in “an array of personal and cultural artistic viewpoints” (Bovio, 2011, p.30) and student artists even expressed an attachment to their mini- artworks once they were complete (Bovio, 2011). Through ATC’s, participants are able to share a personal piece of themselves, revealing a reflection of who they are, to others (Bovio, 2011). This celebration of the individual throughout the world unites communities through globalization in positively unique ways.
On a Global Scale
“The act of sharing artist trading cards knows no
geographical boundaries, and brings like souls together on
a level that no other form of communication can."- Bernie Berlin
(as cited in Bovio, 2011, p.28).
geographical boundaries, and brings like souls together on
a level that no other form of communication can."- Bernie Berlin
(as cited in Bovio, 2011, p.28).
Artist Trading Cards encourage a global participation, exchange, and interaction. Because of its nature of participation and inclusion, Artist Trading Cards have grown to encourage involvement of all ages, races, cultures, and interest groups. (Heck, 2009, Bovio, 2011, el-Habre, 2008, Melion, 2008). Through this interaction with the global society, knowledge, culture, and understanding are shared, creating ongoing change and growth of people within a globalized society. Artist Joel Armstrong states that participating in ATC trades “not only represents my connection to people all over the world, but it is also a reminder of how much work I have done, and how far the work travels” (Melion, 2008, p.18).
Artist trading cards allow people to participate in a global community, while protecting their own cultural community and sharing it with a sense of pride. ATC’s are often trade 3 or 4 times, and each time the new artist alters it, adding their own personal voice to each piece before trading it again (Katharine, 2011). International trades (swaps) (Bovio, 2011), themed swaps (Driscoll, 2008), and local and regional workshops (Driscoll, 2010, Marin, 2009) encourage cultural exchange among many different countries, individuals and styles. Artist Trading Cards are not about the competition, the fame, or the exclusivity of museum or gallery art, but rather about the inclusivity, inclusion and value of personal culture, value, and insight all over the world.
Artist trading cards allow people to participate in a global community, while protecting their own cultural community and sharing it with a sense of pride. ATC’s are often trade 3 or 4 times, and each time the new artist alters it, adding their own personal voice to each piece before trading it again (Katharine, 2011). International trades (swaps) (Bovio, 2011), themed swaps (Driscoll, 2008), and local and regional workshops (Driscoll, 2010, Marin, 2009) encourage cultural exchange among many different countries, individuals and styles. Artist Trading Cards are not about the competition, the fame, or the exclusivity of museum or gallery art, but rather about the inclusivity, inclusion and value of personal culture, value, and insight all over the world.
References
Brenner, A., (2001, March 23). The arts: addressing the history of mail art. The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved from http://www.austinchronicle.com/arts/2001-03-23/81162/
Bovio, D. (2011, December). Artist trading tards: Connecting with other communities. Arts and Activites, 150(4), 28-30. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?sid=329b905e-9538-4462-aa7a33caaa5d2d16%40sessionmgr113&vid=7&hid=124&bdata=JkF1dGhUeXBlPWlwLHVpZCZzaXRlPWVob3N0LWxpdmU%3d#db=aft&AN=527632357
Calhoun, A., (2001, March 23). Pushing the envelope: mail art and ‘the eternal network’. The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved from http://www.austinchronicle.com/arts/2001-03-23/81161/
Driscoll, D., (2008). The beauty of India: An atc gallery. Art Trader Magazine, 1(1), 7-8. Retrieved from http://www.arttradermag.com
Driscoll, D., (2010). Review: artforall 2010. Art Trader Magazine, 1(12), 15-18. Retrieved from http://www.arttradermag.com
Driscoll, D., and Illingworth, J., (2008). Artist trading cards (atcs): An introduction. Art Trader Magazine, 1(2), 15-18. Retrieved fromhttp://www.arttradermag.com
el-Habre, A. (2008). Live swaps 101:How to get started. Art Trader Magazine, 1(1), 6. Retrieved from http://www.arttradermag.com
Heck, L. H. (2009, August 25). On art. Christian Century, p. 47.
Katharine. (2011, March 1). Atcs at the RAG: Talking art with Kathy Tycholis. (web log). Retrieved from http://spiritwoodnotes.blogspot.com/2011/01/atcs-at-rag-talking-art-with-kathy.html
Marin, L.E. (2009). This is my city artist trading card project. Retrieved April 14, 2013 from http://tmcatc.wordpress.com/about/
Melion, A., (2008). iATC’s member artist feature; Joel Armstrong. Art Trader Magazine, 1(2), 15-18. Retrieved from http://www.arttradermag.com
Schiebe, S. (2008). Artist trading cards: the basics. Art Trader Magazine, 1(1), 7-8. Retrieved from http://www.arttradermag.com
Brenner, A., (2001, March 23). The arts: addressing the history of mail art. The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved from http://www.austinchronicle.com/arts/2001-03-23/81162/
Bovio, D. (2011, December). Artist trading tards: Connecting with other communities. Arts and Activites, 150(4), 28-30. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?sid=329b905e-9538-4462-aa7a33caaa5d2d16%40sessionmgr113&vid=7&hid=124&bdata=JkF1dGhUeXBlPWlwLHVpZCZzaXRlPWVob3N0LWxpdmU%3d#db=aft&AN=527632357
Calhoun, A., (2001, March 23). Pushing the envelope: mail art and ‘the eternal network’. The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved from http://www.austinchronicle.com/arts/2001-03-23/81161/
Driscoll, D., (2008). The beauty of India: An atc gallery. Art Trader Magazine, 1(1), 7-8. Retrieved from http://www.arttradermag.com
Driscoll, D., (2010). Review: artforall 2010. Art Trader Magazine, 1(12), 15-18. Retrieved from http://www.arttradermag.com
Driscoll, D., and Illingworth, J., (2008). Artist trading cards (atcs): An introduction. Art Trader Magazine, 1(2), 15-18. Retrieved fromhttp://www.arttradermag.com
el-Habre, A. (2008). Live swaps 101:How to get started. Art Trader Magazine, 1(1), 6. Retrieved from http://www.arttradermag.com
Heck, L. H. (2009, August 25). On art. Christian Century, p. 47.
Katharine. (2011, March 1). Atcs at the RAG: Talking art with Kathy Tycholis. (web log). Retrieved from http://spiritwoodnotes.blogspot.com/2011/01/atcs-at-rag-talking-art-with-kathy.html
Marin, L.E. (2009). This is my city artist trading card project. Retrieved April 14, 2013 from http://tmcatc.wordpress.com/about/
Melion, A., (2008). iATC’s member artist feature; Joel Armstrong. Art Trader Magazine, 1(2), 15-18. Retrieved from http://www.arttradermag.com
Schiebe, S. (2008). Artist trading cards: the basics. Art Trader Magazine, 1(1), 7-8. Retrieved from http://www.arttradermag.com