C.P. 56, microfichecatalogue [Commonpress]

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-Guy Bleus- (1950, Hasselt, Belgium)
* network artist, lingua-artist, performer, curator. He is the editor and publisher of journals-books on the theory and practice of art-communications, on mail-, book-, fax-art. Ref.1
* In 1978, the artist Guy Bleus founded The Art Administration Centre (TAC). It grew out of his actions mocking the rules and conventions of government bureaucracy, by handing out fake university diplomas or marriage certificates. Bleus was actively involved in the international mail art network and he began archiving artists’ missives and documentation. TAC grew into a huge archive with works, catalogues, magazines, posters and announcements about more then five thousand artists from fifty countries. In 1981, Bleus invited artists from all over the world to react on his invitation to send something related to the ‘fundamental conditions’ of love, hate, fear and suicide. The works were all reproduced on microfilm cards in a catalogue (Are you experienced?). Ref.2
* The Administration Centre – 42.292: dit is de naam die mail art en conceptueel kunstenaar Guy Bleus in 1978 gaf aan zijn kunstenaarsarchief. Het archief bergt alle uitwisseling van mail art activiteiten tussen Bleus en meer dan 5000 binnen- en buitenlandse kunstenaars uit zestigal landen, gerangschikt op naam en geïnventariseerd. Ondergebracht in een voormalige cinema, behoort The Administration Centre – 42.292 zo tot één van de grootste mail art archieven ter wereld. Ref.3

-Commonpress Magazine-
* Commonpress, magazine of art, is the periodical edited by common effort. Apart from providing materials for the particular edition ... each of the participants is obliged once to collect materials, to edit, and print as well as to distribute edition among other participants -- artists taking part in his edition -- at ones [sic] own charge"--No. 1, (Dec. 1977) p. [4] of cover. Some issues have a distinctive title. Editor and publisher changes with each issue; each issue has a different theme.
* Some issues printed in limited numbered editions. Ref.4
Founder and coordinator: Pawel Petasz edited issue No. 1 in Poland in 1977, and subsequent editors included Ko de Jonge, Peter Below, Ulises Carrión, Adriano Spatola and Giulia Niccolai, Klaus Groh, Aart van Barneveld, Guy Schraenen, G. E. Marx Vigo, Vittore Baroni, Johan van Geluwe, György Galántai and Júlia Klaniczay, and Guy Bleus among several others.
In 1989 Jesch Birger edited N° 100 with the title Your Favorite Pornography Ref.5
* ‘Commonpress isn’t just an alternative magazine of art, but a kind of ongoing international performance. A performance in which each participant is encouraged to edit & publish an edition of the magazine with his own theme in his own format. It is a collective performance; created, produced, & shared by its many contributors. (4) > 4. Jupitter-Larsen, Gerald X. in: Guy Bleus (ed). Commonpress, #56, Belgium, 1984, p. 115.’ Ref.6

References

• Ref.1: Bongiani Art Museum; http://www.collezionebongianiartmuseum.it/en_sala.php?id=11
• Ref.2: Johan Pas; Artists’ Publications: The Belgian Contribution; Koenig Books; London; 2017, p. 146
• Ref.3: MUHKA; https://ckv.muhka.be/in-de-praktijk/op-bezoek-bij-guy-bleus-42-292
• Ref.4: Getty research institute; https://primo.getty.edu/primo-explore/fulldisplay/GETTY_ALMA21117025820001551/GRI
• Ref.5: https://artpool.hu/MailArt/chrono/Commonpress.html
• Ref.6: Blogger.com, Stephen Perkins, 2008; https://artistsperiodicals.blogspot.com/2012/07/commonpress.html

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