disSent: Mail Art, Resistance, & Informal Networks
disSENT derives from the Latin dissentīre, to think differently, to perceive otherwise.
Between the 1960s and 1980s, artists around the world used the postal system to create an alternative network for exchanging art, ideas, publications, and solidarity.
Their dissent was not only political but also institutional: they questioned where art could exist, how it could circulate, and who could participate.
Curated by Arzu Ozkal.
Come join us for the opening reception! October 3rd, 2026. 5-7pm.
147W San Ysidro Blvd. San Diego, 92173
Arzu Ozkal: In 2024, Frank Ferguson’s family gifted his mail art archive to me. I selected approximately 200 works that trace a story of solidarity and camaraderie among artists across borders. The exhibition is organized around five interconnected areas: Feminist Networks & Publishing; Human Rights & Solidarity; Anti-Art & Alternative Institutions; Networks of Care; and Peace, Ecology & the Cold War.