STARFISHMAN
Starfishman is by far and away our most successful Mail Art project. Inspired by Max Ernst's surrealistic collages, we invented him {or perhaps channeled him ?} in 1997, and the project was officially launched on a day trip to Whitby, North yorkshire {the spot where Bram Stoker had Dracula make his landfall in England}.
The Starfishman project produced three zines of Starfishman-related artwork and poetry from around the World, as well as appearances in other zines and comic strips. He has also been mentioned in several Frankenstein Sound Lab pieces. Strangely, Starfishman - The Album hasn't happened yet. But it yet might.
Other events included building Starfishman grottos at various coastal locations and putting Starfishman-related literature into bottles and throwing them into the sea. We never had any replies... perhaps they're still out there somewhere.
Starfishman grottos at Whitby {above} and South Shields.
Starfishman really deserves a website all of his own... and one day, when time permits, he may well get one. It would be nice to make the mass of art and words he has inspired available to a wider public. When it happens, there'll be a link at the bottom of this page. Untill then...
...seek the Starfishman in the in-between places: the beach {neither land or sea}, at twilight {neither day or night}, at those moments between sleep and wakefulness and in the reverb that's neither sound or silence.
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