couchprojects

I have been offline for a week as I began my residency at the Center for Book Arts. Instead of being in my studio and sitting at my computer day after day editing and “researching,” I learned to handset type and use the press. It was fun and exhausting.

Influenced by my medium, my source materials and subject matter became historical, “dead” things- quite literally. I chose to research séances at the White House, which happens to be a subject matter rich with material.

I discovered a New York Times archive where Harry Houdini was the key “prosecutor” in a hearing to regulate clairvoyants. Houdini’s assistant testified in court that a spiritualist by the name of Mrs. Jane Coates had told her privately that she held séances with President Coolidge’s family as well as four senators on Capitol Hill.

I decided to letterpress the headline in a style as close to the original format as my beginner stages would take me.

I have found many more leads to the séance subject matter including the Lincolns, the Reagans, the Clintons. Ironically, after he proclaimed in court that all séances were gimmicks, Houdini’s wife held séances at his grave, confirming my suspicions he was jealous of their market share.

• Paul Chan will have his dvd “Sade for Fonts Sake” available as well as some of his new designer baby onesies.
• Angie Waller will be selling her books, dvds, digital paintings, candy-filled mugs and Hip-Hop Snowmen Designer Christmas sweaters.
• Ben Coonley will feature his Adorable Stocking Stuffers for all ages and levels of intelligence.
• Marianna Ellenberg’s will present her customized American Apparel T-shirts give STDs a cool retro style.
• Matthew Mottel and Blanka Amezkua will be presenting ephemera of multiple mediums.

and just announced… Arthur Jones will be drawing personalized caricatures throughout the event. Want to see yourself on a tandem bike with Sylvester Stallone? – he can do it! Bring photos of your loved ones for caricature gifts.

• description: order online: http://www.blurb.com/user/store/angiewaller

  "Home of Tycoons," titled after a condominium complex in China, investigates real estate marketing in Beijing during 2004 – only moments before the old city would be completely demolished and replaced by high-rises, stadiums and suburban gated communities.

  Through photo documentation and sampling of poorly translated Chinese to English sales materials, "Tycoons" explores the fantastical side of home ownership in China. An example, the brochure for Beijing's Long Island community declares – "This isn't an age that dare not speak up wealth, this is an age that needs to use wealth to sublime one's life."

  Other residences studied include: MoMA, SOHO and The Home of Tycoons.

  10x8 inches (25x20 cm) 104 pages

• description: Found images of eagles matched with descriptive phrases from Amazon.com music reviews for Enya, Nickel Creek and Dave Matthews Band. This project was a spin off after the many hours of research that went into Data Mining the Amazon.

• description: Transcription of a phone interview conducted with an armored car sales representative. download pdf