Describe The Sky

Over the course of four years in the 1970s, artist G. C. Haymes sent approximately 500 letters to a wide-ranging selection of high profile people as part of a project entitled Skymail. Enclosed alongside the letters were return postcards, upon which the recipients were asked to 'describe the sky'. Below is the original letter and two of the 28 replies Haymes received, chosen due to the brilliantly contrasting tone and content of each. They were written by authors Isaac Asimov and Jerzy Kosinski.

Original Request

Isaac Asimov's Reply

Jerzy Kosinski's Reply

Transcripts

Original Request

SKYMAIL
box 1786
albany ny
12201

good morning

you are hereby cordially invited to participate in skymail (first event). skymail is an artistic event in which selected artists of different fields have been invited to describe the sky. i would appreciate it greatly if you could take the time to fill out the enclosed card & drop it in a mailbox (postage has been prepaid).

i am currently seeking a showplace for the event. you will be notified of the date & place of the exhibit.

thank you very much.

enjoy the sky

(signed)

g c haymes
coordinator: skymail (first event)

SKYMAIL

Isaac Asimov's Reply

NAME: Isaac Asimov

DATE: 29 July 1976

DESCRIBE THE SKY

An inverted blue (sometimes black) semisphere, in which, when blue, a yellow circle is pasted, and to which, when black, some thousand of tiny sparks are affixed. There is also a dim yellow circle more noticable against the black, but sometimes seen against the blue which changes shape and is sometimes round, sometimes crescent, and sometimes in between. Often the semisphere is obscured by moving white or gray clouds.

(Signed)

Jerzy Kosinski's Reply

name:

date:

describe the sky

IMBECILOGRAM

Dear Idiot:

don't you have anything better to do? sky is, in fact, a limit for pretentious idiots like you.