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> contents / Michael Scott * 1934 - 1988 / Anna Banana / From the early 1970's to his death in 1988, Michael was a correspondent of extraordinary wit, imagination and regularity. His letters, pagescapes as he called them, were a combination of real life experiences, commentary, and fantasy, interwoven in such a way as it was impossible to tell where one ended and the other began. He called them pagescapes, rather than letters, because he interlaced his texts with drawings, collage and rubber-stampings that offered as much delight as did his words. One of the most interesting aspects of his work to me was, his use of a wide range of visual materials, from Victorian illustrations, to comic book images, to items looking like they might have come from some S&M/rubber catalogue and everything in between! And, they all played so well off each other, and his texts, that one marvelled at his ability to weave them into a quirky, coherent whole. These writings and pagescapes were not about any one subject, but most often, were commentaries on issues raised in my letters, on his own travels or day-to-day experiences, or the mail-art network itself. In reviewing my collection of mailings from Michael, I was horrified to find that in a few instances, I had cut up a page or two, for reprinting in VILE, or the Banana Rag. I find my reaction now, amusing, as mail-art was never supposed to be about collecting "great works of art," and often we (in the network) would incorporate items sent by someone into a new work that we would send back, or make copies and send to several correspondents. However, Michael's work was never that way. His items were so well crafted and composed, one would never dream of ripping them up for recycling. . . but apparently I DID cut and paste sections of some of his pagescapes, for reproduction. The WORST thing about Michael's work, was the glue he used. I don't know what it was, but it certainly wasn't archival. Now almost all of the little images he glued into his texts are free floating in the envelopes, having left a brownish stain the shape of the item on the background paper. Well, at least it will be easy to see where they belong. There were times when months would go by before I would answer a letter from Michael. I always felt I must do "something special," since his letters were so unique and crafted. Then, in the end, I'd finally sit down at the typewriter and rattle off pages of news and anecdotes from my life, as I was never able to devote the time to gleaning and gluing fitting images into my accounts. Michael didn't seem to mind that my letters were not the works of art his were, he'd always write again. I liked to imagine him having drawers in his studio marked with each of his correspondents' names, in which he would collect the materials that he knew would be of interest to that person, for use in the next letter to them. In spite of gaps of 6-10 months in our correspondence, it continued steadily from our first contact in 1973, right through to his final letter, only 2 days before his death January 5, 1988. There was no hint, in this final letter, that he was in any way distressed, or contemplating suicide. I had the good fortune of visiting Michael and Susan Scott during my two trips to England, in 1978, and again in 1986 when we enjoyed rummaging through second hand bookstores in Leeds for the quirky and evasive imagery we both liked to use in our work. Even after 10 years, I still miss his unique voice and wit, as I am sure is the case with anyone who corresponded with him. Anna Banana, January 26, 1998 Copyright © Anna Banana - a_banana@sunshine.net |
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