LITTLE BROWN MUSHROOM BLOG

The Postcards From America box

Posted in Flotsam by LBM on January 25, 2012

Last May, Paolo Pellegrin, Jim Goldberg, Susan Meiselas, Mikhael Subotzky, Ginger Strand and I drove an RV from San Antonio to Oakland. Since then, we’ve been trying to make something that expresses the frenetic energy of that trip. In the end, a simple book wouldn’t do. Instead we produced the Postcards From America box. Inside is a collection of objects – a book, five bumper stickers, a newspaper, two fold-outs, three cards, a poster and five zines, all in a signed and numbered box.

Designed by Emmet Byrne and Michael Aberman from the Walker Art Center, the result is, well, cooler than hell. Just check out this giant poster by Paolo Pellegrin:

Want to see more? Check out my video tour or go to the Postcards From America website.

The signed and number box (edition of 500) costs $250 from now until February 1st. Buy it here.

15 Responses

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  1. Beth Dow said, on January 25, 2012 at 8:28 am

    Awwhhh, no travel bingo? Looks great, Alec.

    • LBM said, on January 25, 2012 at 8:32 am

      That is such a great idea Beth, damn, wish we’d thought of it.

  2. Chase said, on January 25, 2012 at 10:25 am

    I want that giant poster.

  3. Cynthia Wood said, on January 25, 2012 at 11:48 am

    Oh, I love it. Wish I could afford to buy one…

  4. Mark Faigenbaum said, on January 25, 2012 at 3:24 pm

    I can’t wait. I signed up last year for the book w/postcards from the road and I’ve been waiting patiently. This looks so great! Like a 1 issue ASPEN Magazine.

  5. Bob Black said, on January 25, 2012 at 4:13 pm

    …i know it is not polite, but cost after feb 1st?….if available by end of march, will lasso one for sure….love the newspaper, bumper sticker and poster….:)))

    travel bingo would have been a great idea too,…

    lovely to see the crew thinking outside the cardboard box….:))

    btw, you see Mikhailov's Yesterday's Sandwich (my wife gave it to me last year for bday)….52 of the images Printed on unbound boards and packaged in a cardboard case….righteous….

    and your PostCards from Amnerica box reminds me of something my beloved Walid Raad, except that damn beautiful Road-Trip-Americana humor to boot :)))

    fingers crossed it doesn't sell out by end of march…

    cheers
    b

    • LBM said, on January 25, 2012 at 8:14 pm

      Hi Bob, the people we consulted thought that $250 was too low given the size of the edition and that it is signed by everyone. But we wanted to offer it to our friends and followers at this lower price first. No telling how many will be left at the end of March (they are half gone already). It is a pity that it’s such a low edition. But this thing has so many moving parts that we needed to keep the numbers down.

      • Bob Black said, on January 26, 2012 at 5:52 am

        hey alec :))

        just to make sure it’s clear, in no way am i bemoaning the price, actually given the object itself (it really must be seen as an art object more than a book), it is a steal and add to that the assembledge and parts and signatures and, well, i can see this baby moving for $500+, i was just lamenting (for me) that i’ve still recovering from crashed computer + russia trip and feb 1 is looming next week…anyway, fingers crossed for march….by the way, if Big Al’s did the printing, man Bil Al’s is in the big leagues now, as that is one great design/kit/conception….my only regret (though I LOVE THE KEY to the contents) is that there isn’t a Goldberg/soth/et al decoder ring…damn…anyway, i totally understand, hope for a second y’all didn’t think my lament was directed toward the price/edition…it always sucks when i want something (especially a book/art object), and reality intrudes…still a 13 year old i guess ;)))…..

        cheers
        bob

  6. Bob Black said, on January 25, 2012 at 4:13 pm

    ❤ = love (sorry for the lame emoticon) 😉 (wink)

  7. Simon said, on January 25, 2012 at 6:19 pm

    At first I thought, “I wish I had $250 to buy this!” I then thought, I don’t need to eat. Ordered. Can’t wait!!!

    • Simon Hewson said, on January 26, 2012 at 12:04 am

      Sorry, I just re-read my comment and it sounds like I’m having a whine about the price, on the contrary I think it’s a wonderful price for a truly great collection of work. I will treasure it for many years to come.

  8. Moira said, on January 29, 2012 at 12:50 pm

    Wow. Definitely cooler than hell. Thanks for the video tour too.

  9. Tim said, on January 29, 2012 at 6:25 pm

    Reblogged this on Camera Works and commented:
    I want those ZINES!!!

  10. Nicola Principato said, on February 3, 2012 at 11:24 am

    Nice idea, but too informal for my personal tastes.
    Ciao,
    Nicola Principato

  11. nicolas dusart said, on February 13, 2012 at 6:42 pm

    Just received my Postcards from America Box…it is awesome !
    Great work, Alec!


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