After co-writing the concept for 'Market Value: Examining Wealth and Worth,' an art show scoped by myself, Jason Frohlichstein, and Mike Wilgus for the Columbia College A+D Gallery, it became apparent that we should no longer curate and show art in the same show due to conflict of interest. We invited Steve Juras to take the reigns on refining the curratorial effort which he did far better than we ever could have dreamed.

 

My piece for the show was centered around a process I had loosely been exploring. By typing a random number into google images and combing through and selecting imagery of interest I would micro-curate a bucket of imagery and challenge myself to weave a narrative with that imagery. What you get from high-value random numbers typed in to google images are deep catalog photos, patent diagrams, oddities, more catalog photos, and weather diagrams. Sometimes even a museum archive. By starting to shape those into a composition a narrative would slowly reveal itself and I'd begin to move with intention. Eventually adding some stream of conciousness in writing to the piece felt like a good balance and added a propoganda-esque flair. 

 

After completing the pieces I began to look for an appropriate venue to display my recycled beauties. I had been selling a few things on Craigslist at the time and decided to start posting some sample pieces there. They didn't have enough information in the image to actually trick anyone into thinking I was selling a good, service, or otherwise. Nobody ever contacted me about any of the 6 test posts. 

 

The success of the initial pieces on Craigslist didn't stop me. I tried a composition for a friends beer blog but probably weirded him out or alienated the readership. Finally an opportunity revealed itself to go all out and show these at the A+D gallery. 

 

Now comfortable with the process I raised the scope and scale of the pieces to really excite folks in the gallery space. In composing the posters and thinking about the art market I had kept an open mind about how to display the pieces. In a chat with curator, Steve Juras, we arrived at the conclusion to not only display the printed ink on butcher paper as initially intended, but to attempt to somehow coordinate a full printed roll of posters that viewers could rip off and take home on the spot, with a small donation of course. 

 

The show was a smashing hit and I made back 5% of the money I put in to just the printing costs. Getting offset rolls printed was not cheap. Now I bring them to events and public places and pedal them to strangers and friends. I even had the good fortune to talk about them at a Show And Tell Session at EYEO 2013. 

 

If you're interested in a poster chances are very high that I have one of each of the 3 designs that I could ship to you after a little paypal action, and if you're really interested and have a blank wall I could be persuaded to ship an entire roll to your bar/restaurant/office/nightclub/VIProom/storefront for covering.