Spam Art

So I decided to turn my email spam into art.

Here's how it happened: one day, a few weeks back, as I was deleting the contents of my spam folder, a subject line caught my eye: "Woman found with bottle in vagina." Wha? Could it be? I instantly cut-and-pasted the headline into an instant message to a friend, and we shared an electronic giggle. Then I spied another: "Boy eats cats daily!!!" I sent it to my brother-in-law, an appreciator of all things weird. "Wouldn't it be great," I mused, "to have a spam exhibit at the American Visionary Art Museum" (a place we both love). "Not a bad idea, actually," he replied.

Later that day, I was driving home from an appointment in Bethesda, and on a whim, decided to pull over and poke around Bruce's Variety Store. Mind you, I hadn't shopped there...ever; but on this day, I felt it calling, and browse it I did. As I wandered through the aisles filled with housewares, glitter glue and a hodge-podge of miscellaneous doo-dads, I saw a needlepoint kit, and that's when inspiration struck: I would create old-fashioned looking needlepoints of spam messages. The irony would be rich and appreciated by hipsters across the land.

Alas, my dreams died when I realized that I did not, in fact, know how to do needlepoint; nor was I interested in learning for the sake of this project. This was, undeniably, a setback.

But fate was on hand that day, and plan B quickly took shape. I saw small wooden boards, reminding me of the signs my niece and nephew have hanging on their bedroom doors. Aha! I would make spam signs -- cheerful, colorful spam signs. I bought paint, sequins and other necessaries, and proceeded to check-out, a tacky vision crystallizing in my mind.

A few evenings later, I found myself home alone, and after fortifying myself with leftover Indian food, I set about creating my little masterpieces.

That was a few weeks ago. I've yet to drill the holes and attach the colored string to make them hangable, but I felt it was time to share them with you nonetheless, gentle reader.

Enjoy.


Want more?

• View more of my spam art on Flickr
  
  
• Since I mentioned American Visionary Arts Museum - if you're interested in visionary, or outsider, art, you can also check out Art Enables, right here in DC (they're having a big sale this Saturday - get the details here). Off the Map is also a great site about outsider artists who create "backyard paradises" (the site has a fun feature that lets you make your own backyard paradise)
  
  
• Since I mentioned my brother-in-law - I should also mention that he's an artist, and avid art collector, himself. Check out his art.