MOCAD Journal #1 – Box, 2012 [on Afro-futurism]
31 x 31 x 5 cm
cardboard box journal with paint, bronze paint and gold glitters
numbered, signed by various artists, here “WL.W”
series of unique hand painted boxes of 200, here nr 9/200
mint
published by produced by MOCAD / Museum of Contemporary Art, Detroit, USA
€ 820,- plus € 24,- Track & Trace registered mail
inv.SRa 000-pr

The box shaped MOCAD journal is a collection of multiples and publications compiled by Cary Loren for the Museum of Contemporary Art in Detroit. Cary Loren says on this: “We responded to the 12” LP format, and decided on the underlying theme of Afro-futurism as its focus. We were not attempting to define or deeply examine the concept, but simply acknowledge its widespread influence as inspiration among the artists we discussed. Soon, various artworks, booklets, poetry, interviews, music, posters, postcards, photos, stickers and buttons made there way into the box. Each box was uniquely designed, hand-painted and bejeweled by artist/musician Efe Bes, who transformed them into magical vessels.”

Afro-futurism
The American musician Sun Ra was a self-made jazz composer, bandleader, piano and synthesizer player playing experimental music, a “cosmic” philosopher and creator of theatrical performances. He may be considered as the founder of Afro-futurism, due to his early experimental music he performed with his continuous changing band “The Arkestra” in the fifties of the 20th century. During concerts the the band members had futuristic suits on that were reminiscent of Egyptian and extra-terrestrial influences. In 1974 Sun Ra wrote the film “Space Is The Place” in which he advocates to bring Afro-Americans to Saturnus by means of his music. Only black people would inhabit that planet.
Ref. Space Is The Place Sun Ra
Ref. Discogs.com MOCAD Journal: Box #1

CONTENT

Records

1.
Sun Ra & Aaron Ibn Pori Pitts; Spirit Songz
12″ vinyl LP
edition 300
The title “Spirit Songz” comes from the name of one of Ibn’s unreleased albums.
A side: live Sun Ra Arkestra recordings from the Detroit Jazz Center on New Years Eve, 1980. B side: recordings of words and music in Aaron Ibn Pori Pitts’ studio. Sun Ra tracks include: Journey to Saturn, excerpts from There is Change in the Air, Are You Spotless? and When There is No Sun. Musicians performing beside Ibn are James Carter, Amp Fiddler, Ron Smith, Titilaya, Ron Rutherford, Mellow Man and Ras Kente.

2.
The Spell of Jadoo,
CD, 74 min., edition 300
compilation featuring 16 tracks by Sun Ra, THTX, Warren Defever & Furuq Z. Bey, Aaron Ibn Pori Pitts, Baba Akunda, Little Princess, Slither, Efe Bes, Kim Fowley, The Impaler, Destroy All Monsters, Monster Island and James Semark, 2012. All tracks have never been released before.

Printed matter

1.
Faruq Z Bey, Toward a ‘Ratio’nal Aesthetic, 2012
68 pages
edition 300
reprinted booklet, first published by Ridgeway Press 1989
published by MOCAD, 2012

2.
Rob Tyner & John Sinclair, “Motor City Afrofuturism”, 2012
12 × 12 inches
newsprint, 3 added photos of Rob Tyner by Leni Sinclair
interview with Rob Tyner by John Sinclair is a reprint of the Ann Arbor Sun from 1967. The “Poem for the liner notes to Pinkeye’s Live Deathless album” by James Semark is also reprinted from the CD released in 2009.

3.
Pedro Bell & Cameron Jamie: “Ammagamma-Goo-Chee“, 2009
interview with Afro-futurist & Funkadelic artist Pedro Bell by Cameron Jamie

4.
Sun Ra; “A Profile of Sun Ra” interview by Grant Martin, reprint from the Detroit-based Tribe Magazine, 1975.

5.
Destroy All Monsters, The Swamp Gas Gazette, 2002
edition 5000
UFO 8 page tabloid newspaper zine,
produced by DAM

6.
James Semark, “The Judgment of Edmund Zwingy”, 2012
reprint of a short story by Semark from Night-Vision Express, 1964
cover drawing; “Each One is Real, Each Real is One” by Semark, Detroit Artists Workshop Press, 1965

7.
Sun Ra; “Cosmic Equation”, n.d.
poem by Sun Ra, 2012
edition 150, numbered and 50 lettered copies

8.
Sun Ra, The Endless Realm, n.d.
poem by Sun Ra, 2012
edition 150 numbered and 50 lettered copies

9.
Amiri Baraka, I Liked Us Better, 2012
poem

10.
Terry Blackhawk, For Dudley Randall, 2003
poem

11.
M. L. Liebler, Trembling in the Temple of Tears at the Feet of Buddha, 2010
poem

12.
Aaron Ibn Pori Pitts, The Path, n.d.
poem

13.
Aaron Ibn Pori Pitts, Ogun; In the Modality of Modified Metal as a Metaphor, n.d.
poem

Artworks

1.
RAMM:ELL:ZEE, Super Heroes & Villains; Monster Models & Garbage Gods, 1991
4×5.5 inches
staple bound booklet, two page pink text inserts, 20 pages
edition 200
published by MOCAD
a collection of Rammellzee’s 21 monster sculptures with text. Photography by Adam Reich, courtesy The Suzanne Geiss Company, New York City and the estate of Rammellzee and designed by Cady Loren

2.
GARY GRIMSHAW, Sun Ra and His Myth Science Arkestra in Concert with MC5, 1967, 2008
20 × 24 inches
three colour silkscreen
folded poster, reprint of 1967
edition 250

3.
FRANK BACH, In Residence In Concert Detroit Sun Ra and His Omniverse Jet-Set Arkestra, 2012
12 x 17 inches
printed as an LP cover
edition 300
folded poster, reprint of 1979-80,
published by MOCAD

4.
GILDA SNOWDEN, untitled, 2012
5 x 7 inches
original acrylic stencil painting
signed, dated

5.
JEROME FERETTI, untitled, 2012
7 x 7 inches
print with hand coloring crayon additions, some boxes may contain a small signed hand-made brick
signed

6.
BARRY ROTH, untitled, 2012
5 x 7 inches
photograph
two different editions of 100
signed, numbered

7.
MAURICE GREENIA, 2012
11 x 11 inches
pen and ink drawing on paper
signed, dated

8.
RYAN STANDFEST, Ardent Boner, 2012
8.5x 5.5″
booklet, staple bound,16 pages with drawings based on Andre Breton’s African art collection published by Rotland Press
edition 200
signed, numbered

9.
TOM CAREY, “Yakub’s Folly”, 2012
woodcut
edition 200
signed, numbered

10.
M. SAFFELL GARDNER, Sun Ra’s U, 2012
woodcut
edition 200
signed, numbered, dated

11.
DIANETTA DYE, Urban Etch #13 Man, 2012
monoprint
signed, titled, dated

12.
CHRIS RIDDELL, untitled, 2012
8.5 x11 inches
Xerox collage
signed, numbered

13.
LENI SINCLAIR, 6 postcards
10 x 15 cm
6 postcard photos, envelope
includes Faruq Z. Bey color (1975), Sun Ra in black and white (1977), Sun Ra in color (1977), June Tyson color (1977), Alice Coltrane black and white (1972) and Roscoe Mitchell color Art Ensemble of Chicago performance (date unknown)
and 8.5 x 11 inches glossy photo of Sun Ra and His Omniverse Jet-Set Arkestra with Detroit musicians at Detroit Jazz Center, Dec. 31st, 1979

14.
JIMBO EASTER & Cary Loren
8.5 x 11 inches
irregular hand-cut paper
numbered
red, silver or gold silkscreen of alien writing and DAM “cosmic clip art” over spray-painted backgrounds

15.
KCALB GNIW SPIRIT, Ogun Urban Monumentz
flyer from a book catalog

16.
EFE BES, untitled, 2012
31 x 31 x 5 cm
box lid
acrylics, tempura, markers, glitter, glue and spray varnish

two other examples of hand painted box lid:
     

Each box lid has an unique hand design, painted by Afro-futurist musician Efe (with assistance from Mo and the staff of MOCAD). Efe uses traditional and symbolic African based patterns that he improvises with and molds into his own shapes, creating a relief pattern with jewel-like illuminations. The box lids are each hand signed and numbered on the side.

17.
Stickers, etc.

18.
JIM SHAW, Peanut Butter, 1996/2012
3 x 8 inches
DAM sticker
edition 250

19.
DAVE MUELLER, What Would Sun Ra Do?, 2004 – 2012
2.5 x 9 inches
bumper sticker
edition 250

20.
AERON BERGMAN and ALEJANDRA SALINAS, Race, 2012
2 x 4 inches
sticker

21.
APETECHNOLOGY collective in Detroit
1 x 2 inches
sticker by the Apetechnology collective
open edition

22.
CARY LOREN, Destroy All Monsters; Spaceman or Mexican Zombie, 2012
3 x 2 inches
sticker
edition of 1000 each

23.
Various artists
3 buttons in a bag featuring; Alice Coltrane, Aaron Ibn Pori Pitts and a Destroy All Monster Apocalypse creature