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S.M.S. (Shit Must Stop)

The Letter Edged in Black Press (William N. Copley and Dimitri Petrov)

September 15 to 18, 2016
abc art berlin contemporary Berlin

The Letter Edged in Black Press (William N. Copley and Dimitri Petrov)
S.M.S. (Shit Must Stop), 1968
6 complete original portfolios with 73 multiples by 73 artists
Published in an Edition of 2.000 copies.

H.M.Klosterfelde Edition is showing the complete collection of all six original artist’s portfolios of S.M.S. (Shit Must Stop), a „treasure trove“ in context of the US-American mail art scene of the 1960s.

In its entirety the portfolios assemble 73 different small-scale multiples by pioneering artists, writers, filmmakers and musicians of the contemporary scene experimenting in various media and practices related – for example – to the traditions of Dada or Surrealism or close to the movements of Pop Art and Fluxus. Among the outstanding contributors is a broad range of today’s prominent positions, as well as a range of notable discoveries. The portfolios comprise, just to highlight a few names, inter alia Richard Hamilton, Marcel Duchamp, Meret Oppenheim, Dick Higgins, Joseph Kosuth, H.C. Westermann, Man Ray, Roy Lichtenstein, John Cage, Lawrence Weiner, Bruce Nauman, Yoko Ono, Mel Ramos, Dieter Roth, Aftograf, Betty Dodson, Marian Zazeela or Marcia Herscovitz.

S.M.S. was released bi-monthly over the course of 1968 through “The Letter Edged in Black Press“ in New York, conceived by its editors William N. Copley (1919-1996), also known as CPLY as an artist and famous for his engagement as gallerist and publisher, and the artist Dimitri Petrov (1919-1986).

With their temporary publishing adventure, William N. Copley and Dimitri Petrov composed a substantial rostrum of contemporary artists challenging the status quo and concept of art in those days. Both initiators of S.M.S. achieved to gather a vivid international network und to create a unique and legendary platform for exchange – and thus, to fulfil their summation coming with the last issue: “The publishers of the Letter Edged in Black Press, Inc. regretfully announce that this is the last issue of Shit Must Stop that will appear. We have appreciated your support and hope you will remember our effort with appreciation.”

Today the editions of S.M.S. stand for the special spirit in sense of the popular mail art movement that was exploring new paths in mediating, distributing and collecting contemporary arts and culture reaching out to a wide public, and the everyday world, and seeking for moments of sharing besides conventional structures – a practice that enjoys a high popular appeal today.

All six S.M.S. portfolios are all kept in original display boxes and are considered each as one complete work.

Please contact Alfons Klosterfelde at 030 97005099 or office(@)helgamariaklosterfelde.de for further information.

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