Handle with Care

"When Judy broke me the news I was terrified. Now I don't have any choice. I'm coming to you beg you for your help. Will you please help with an emergency $15 gift?" 

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"With your $50 donation, you get The Death of the Civil Rights Movement free!" 

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"I wanted to put something in writing so there's no misunderstanding between us. You have been blessed with a second chance in life, a rare opportunity that could bring you enormous sums of money. Please consider it as payback for the joy you've brought to others. Waiting to hear from you." 

— Enlarged quotes in picture frames,
Handle with Care

Handle with Care

Installation

Developed in collaboration with Northwestern University's Intelligent Information Laboratory: David Ayman Shamma, Sara Owsley Sood, and Josh Flachsbart. 

Predatory direct mail targets our most vulnerable populations — the elderly and immigrants among others. This installation is set in the living room of a traditional elderly American couple. The wallpaper and family photo albums are created out of inflammatory mail from sweepstakes, frauds, and political organizations, all filled with manipulative language and misleading graphic design. "Urgent" envelopes sent "Overnight Delivery." Language features "personal" pleas for help or offers of assistance — for a price; opportunities for riches and prizes — for a price; inflammatory invective creating fear to engender donations. Hidden speakers in the chair whisper words of fear and hate, generated dynamically using seed words from the letters and software developed by Northwestern University's Intelligent Information Laboratory.

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Exhibition 
PAC/Edge Festival / Performing Arts Chicago / Chicago / 2004