Box 1

Series 4. Mail Art and Correspondence includes mail art sent from Johnson (1 folder’s worth) and to Johnson (3 folders’ worth), with various correspondents, dating from 1960 to 1995 (with some undated). Many are in envelopes.

Postmarked December 24, 1976. Image of Cary Grant with pupils replaced by stars; with green star sticker.

Postmarked January 13, 1977. Katherine Hepburn’s name, with the A replaced by gold star sticker.

6 x 3 inches. Franked, addressed on a Village Voice label. Collage: printed sticker of running minotaur, titled “Stud,” affixed over line of glue, with three fireworks drawn in pink, orange, and blue ink. Signed by the artist in bottom right corner.

3 ½ x 4 inches. “Thanx for EAT. Should I marry this girl?” Recto: Photograph of a woman’s face, stylistically augmented with brown ink, signed and dated by artist in same.

Scalloped edges. Magazine cutout of woman collaged with autograph text. Recto: Photograph of Apollo 11 liftoff.

“A very hot day in Jerusalem. (It’s a very old city the place where Jesus was tried and put on the cross) It’s very old and you get a feeling from the stones that a great deal of history has gone by. The Crusaders in the 15th cent. came here and faught [sic] with the Turks. Destroying many old churches – today the Arabs Jews and Christians all share the same holy places – quite a scene.” Recto: photograph of Arab shepherd carrying a sheep.

Series of eleven postcards detailing his travels in the Middle East. The postcards depict the following images: 1) Istanbul; 2) The gold throne of Holiday, Topkapi Palace Museum, Istanbul; 3) Interior of the Eski Cami “Old Mosque,” Edirne, Turkey; 4) band playing Mehter, ancient Turkish military music; 5) Stone bird at Persepolis; 6) Doorway at Persepolis; 7-11) images of the Hajj, including people gathered at Mount Arafat.

Addressed in ink to Tommy Mew with return address stamp: “Cabaret Voltaire / 6266 Madeline Street, Apt. 97 / San Diego, California 92115.” With three additional rubber stamps: “Tommy Mew / The Mad Diarist / Art Dept. Berry College / Mt. Berry, GA. 30149,” “Do you like Ray Johnson?” and “SECRET,” the latter added to with autograph blue pen: “it’s a SECRET…ssssh…. T.M.” Also with“S HITchcock” stamp.

4 x 6 inches. Holes punched out at corners. Pasted monkey has five small pieces cut out. Red stamp on verso.

4 x 6 inches. Holes punched out at corners. Pasted elephant has five small pieces cut out.

4 x 6 inches. Folded in half. Holes punched out at corners, with wire rings through them. Second smaller (2 x 3 inches) card with advertisement is affixed to the larger card with looped wire, and the bottom is adhered in pop-up style.

Series of twelve postcards with autograph text from Scott Mednick to Ray Johnson.

Postmarked December 21, 1976. Image of actor with pupils replaced by stars; with blue star sticker.

Postmarked December 30, 1976. Image of actress with pupils replaced by stars; with silver star sticker.

Franked, postmarked January 27, 1977. Image of part of an All Star Records sleeve, with blue star sticker.

Franked, postmarked February 3, 1977. Image of advertisement for double feature of Yellow Submarine and A Hard Days Night, with blue star sticker.

Franked, postmarked February 17, 1977. Image of man with gun, with blue star sticker.

Franked, postmarked February 24, 1977. Image of woman with miniature pistol, with gold star sticker.

Franked, postmarked March 1, 1977. Image of man with pistol, with gold star sticker.