by "Poor Al" Barasch

I have a show here on the west side on Friday night. I'm showing for the first time in LA in a long time (well over a year). I'm exhibiting with 2 of my friends, John Michael Gill and Jeremy Szuder, at a brand new gallery my friend opened called C.A.V.E.

The work is a series I've been working on for 7 years called Junk Mail Jamming. I've been drawing on junk mail and sending it back to the folks that sent it, ever since 9/11. I was struck by a piece of junk mail I received in December of 2001; it was red, white, and blue and had a bald eagle with the text 'Urgent! Open Imediately!' on the front. I opened it, and apparently Adelphia, thought it was urgent and patriotic for me to get their cable service because of the nation's tragedy. At that moment, I decided I would get revenge on the people that send me junk mail instead of just complaining about it. I figured I would waste as much of their money and time as they had mine. This "junked" mail went back as a robotic bald eagle with the phrase 'Good patriots buy first and ask questions later!' and for one moment, I felt like the hero-of-all that hate junk mail. I've continued this tradition for years, and now feel it's time to show it to the public.

The originals are sent back 'postage paid' to the offending parties, and so I've laid out a book of 50 of the best, and will be publishing them in a book (Pre-Orders available for first limited run of 200).

I also have 32 of the pieces on display as one-of-a-kind framed prints, including some other random stuff.

Friday the 13th, 2008. 6-10pm
507 Rose Ave. Venice, CA
For more info call 310.428.6387

Hope to see you there!!

-Al