Send It Away

In these times of uncertainty, the most pressing issue confronting our nation is ... junk mail? Well, no. But as a symptom of disposable consumer culture run amok, it makes for an effective symbol. "So Many Products So Little Time: The Junk Mail Show" revels in the disposable nature of the crap that clutters our mailboxes, and the questionable sales pitches made therein. Obnoxious totems of a pre-Internet era, junk mail doesn't flow as freely as it once did, to the chagrin of the Postmaster General and budget-savvy marketers. The show features artists from the Bay Area and the direct-mailing hub that is the Midwest, drawing inspiration from close to the source. Curated by Andy Vogt and Sarah Smith, "So Many Products So Little Time" features the work of 20 artists, including Terrance Graven, Meri Brin, Malik Johnson, and John Riegert. The premise forces the artists to operate outside of their comfort zone, which is apparent in the collage Vogt and Smith have created for the show. Unlike their typically restrained work, the collage bursts with all of the tacky charm and garish colors of a Jiffy Lube mailer. It's a fun, tongue-in-cheek exercise, allowing fine artists to slum it with the downmarket aesthetics of junk mail.

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More About

• Curated Andy Vogt
• Sarah Smith
• Meri Brin
• Malik Johnson
• John Riegert

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An opening reception for "So Many Products So Little Time: The Junk Mail Show" starts at 6 p.m.
July 9-30, 2010