Since their inception, ARLIS/NA Conferences have offered more than just professional development—they provide a unique opportunity to connect with colleagues one might not typically meet. Serendipitous encounters and connections at workshops, social gatherings, or lectures and the professional and personal relationships that develop are part of the magic of these conferences. While the 53rd annual ARLIS/NA Conference increases its accessibility and audience through the virtual setting, this modality risks losing the benefits and joy of face-to-face socializing and networking.
In the interest of the conference retaining opportunities for serendipitous meetings, ArLiSNAP is pleased to organize a pre-conference Mail Art chain. Attendees have the chance to find unexpected connection, while expressing their creativity. Mail art, with its roots in conceptual art and Fluxus, is anything sent through the mail that is deemed to be art by its creator. Mail art has the potential to facilitate long-term, long-distance connections through remote but haptic first meetings. Since its inception, mail art remains one of the most accessible forms of art. It can be created using found materials and can be sent for the price of a stamp.
Prior to the conference, ArLiSNAP will match participants with a partner from a different institution. Participants will then receive the contact information of their partner as well as guidelines to create their mail art. Attendees will create and send their correspondence according to size restraints and a deadline before the conference. During the conference session , participants will have the opportunity to meet and mingle with other colleagues, present the art they received, reflect on the experience, and participate in zoom breakout rooms. For perpetuity, participants will document any mail art they receive. Documentation will be compiled into an interactive ArcGIS StoryMap showcasing participant art and illustrating the wide-reaching networks of ARLIS/NA. The results will also be posted to the ArLiSNAP website and Instagram. The ArLiSNAP Mail Art Network adds a creative and tactile element to the virtual conference setting and restores the chance encounters that make ARLIS/NA conferences memorable.
