um...uh....

[lapsedmodernist]

http://boston.craigslist.org/nwb/wrg/292585108.html

Artwork/Writing needed from Wal-Mart employees and customers
Reply to: beautyinwalmart@gmail.com
Date: 2007-03-12, 10:40AM EDT


I'm starting a website about the beauty that exists in Wal-Mart--a beauty contained by its associates and customers. There have certainly been bad things brought to light about the mega store, but I find that when you look past the corporate, capitalist monster that it is, you find people who make it work. People with families, credit card bills, and smiles. People with bad backs, good listening skills, and feelings of despair.

I want to hear stories about your life; struggles, successes, anything. I want poetry about a bad day at work, a painting of a greeter, a picture showing why you love/hate the store, an anonymous letter about why the store loves/hates you. Anything you can think of that can be emailed. I will post the best submissions on a website, which will be promoted extensively.

Submissions should relate to Wal-Mart. Non-text submissions in jpg format. If it is a written piece, text should either be pasted into email or attached as a pdf or doc file. Avoid anything potentially inappropriate. Put your name in the body of the email.

I can't offer any pay at this time, but I have big plans for this project, so if accepted you will be read by many many people, all for a simple expression of feelings. Good luck! Feel free to email me with any questions.

Comments

[the-macnab.livejournal.com]

WOW.

Sometimes, artists are stupid. I mean, it's worse if they're sincere and not a) working for Wal-Mart or b) somehow hoping to market this to Wal-Mart.

"No one ever talks about all the good things Hitler did!"

[lapsedmodernist.livejournal.com]

"No one ever talks about all the good things Hitler did!"

that is how I read it first, too, but on second reading I decided that this was a total hailing/interpollation trip, like, let's dispense with the critique of the monstrosity and instead go all norman rockwell on the "beauty." "Beauty" as a concept is abused in American discourse, btw, and should be criminalized.

And I totally suspect they are looking to market this to Walmart.

Perhaps you should submit YOUR Walmart experience!

[the-macnab.livejournal.com]

The idea that they're looking for the rockwell-esque beauty is worse than that they're trying to show the "good" side of Wal-Mart. I can dig evil, but naively good-natured makes me wanna scream.

I would kind of dig a Normal Rockwell-style painting of me sitting in the Loss Prevention Center (tm) wearing my Zip-cuffs (tm).

[monkeypunk.livejournal.com]

One of my absolute favorite things about Craigslist is the sheer volume of requests for access to everyone else's art and talent for free. Today on the LA board there was even a request that ladies let a random guy fondle their breasts on film. For free, since its a documentary, you see. Oh, and its not weird because half the proceeds will benefit breast cancer charities. Approved charities. I would be honestly surprised if this website wasn't actually a Walmart marketing campaign in disguise.

[slit.livejournal.com]

Whatever the motive, it makes one weep.

smells like performance art

[chitinous.livejournal.com]

People with bad backs, good listening skills, and feelings of despair. <---- This read as a bit hand-tipping to me.

[congogirl.livejournal.com]

*retch*

This is a joke, right?