INSTRUMENTS ET MATERIAUX POUR LE VISAGE D'UNE FEMME: CHANGEMENT

Messager, Annette
UNTITLED MAIL ART WORK (INSTRUMENTS ET MATERIAUX POUR LE VISAGE D'UNE FEMME: CHANGEMENT ET PRESENTATION). Unique work Paris 1973
16.5 x 12.4cm hand addressed and franked (Paris November 1 1973) envelope with verso hand written return address for Messenger content of an unique mail art piece, namely, a 7.5 x 10.5cm hand made envelope with the title text "INSTRUMENTS ET MATERIAUX POUR LE VISAGE D'UNE FEMME: CHANGEMENT ET PRESENTATION" on an applied sticky label and verso a typed text "ANNETTE MESSSAGER SES YEUX SES LEVRES SA PEAU SES CHEVEUX" which in turn contains 4 original and unique photographs by the artist of various cosmetics (thus her eyes (mascara); lips (lipstick); skin (creams) and hair (various hair grips).  In the larger envelope are the dried remains of another object - a dried flower which had been attached to a piece of wire and a hand made cardboard label bearing the words: "CREVETTE FEMELLE AVEC SES OEUFS" and initialled verso "AM" for the artist. The flower has unavoidably deteriorated to just a few fragments and the wire is  rusty and the card label is detached due to the rust. The largest envelope has a slight tear where the stuck down fold has been carelessly opened but this is a very scarce example of Messager's mail art and the deterioration of the flower and label due to the way they were inserted into the envelope was almost inevitable. Unique thus and an important find from the early days of the artist's practice. The larger envelope is signed by Messager as part of the return address.