Mail Art
Fred Forest was already familiar with the postal service in 1958, when he was recruited as a PTT agent at the post office in Mascara in Algeria, where he was born, then in Nedroma, on the Moroccan border, and finally in Michelet in Kabylia. In 1962, Fred Forest arrived in France with his repatriated compatriots, and became an active mail art networker.
1962 MAIL ART
Fred Forest was already familiar with the postal service in 1958, when he was recruited as a PTT agent at the post office in Mascara in Algeria, where he was born, then in Nedroma, on the Moroccan border, and finally in Michelet in Kabylia. Returning to the Mascara post office as a permanent employee, he was introduced to the telephone and telegraph services that had just come into service, with a teletype link that delighted him. In 1962, Fred Forest arrived in France with his repatriated compatriots and became an active mail-art networker. He took part in a number of international artists' groups using mail art and networks. His correspondents are of many different nationalities: Michel Corfou France, Klaus Groh Switzerland, Anna Banana Canada, Andrzej Partum Poland, Paolo Bruski Brazil, Clemente Padin Uruguay, Galeria Foksal Poland, Horacio Zabala Argentina, Roger D'Hondt Belgium, Guy Schraenen Belgium, Kawiak Tomek Belgium, Maurice Roquet Belgium, Eduardo Kac Brazil, Walter Zanini Brazil, Eric Gidney Australia, Richard Martel Canada, Alain Snyers France, Jean-Paul Thenot France, Julien Blaine France, Pierre-Alain Hubert France, Carlos Ginzburg Argentina and France, Henri Chopin France, György Galantai Hungary, Artes Visuales Mexico, Eugeni Bonet Spain, Jean Otth Switzerland, Janos Urban Switzerland, Guguelmio Achille Cavellini Italy, Sergio Lagulli Italy, and others.
Over the course of his life, he produced around fifty different stamps to personalise his postal items bearing the names of his various projects.
LONG BIOGRAPHY OF FRED FOREST
Fred Forest has a special place in contemporary art. Both by his personality and by his pioneering practices which mark his work. He is mainly known today for having used one by one most of the communication media that have appeared over the last fifty years. He is co-founder of three artistic movements: those of sociological art, the aesthetics of communication and ethics in art.
He represented France at the 12th São Paulo Biennale (Communication Prize) in 1973, at the 37th Venice Biennale in 1976 and at Documenta 6 in Kassel in 1977.
EXHIBITION AT THE CENTRE POMPIDOU FROM JANUARY 24 TO OCTOBER 14, 2024
means that you will find content in English within the pages, although they are mainly published in French.