Definition of Trashpoetry and Trashbooks

[DKeys]

Trashpo means many things to many people and maybe broadly has come to mean-art made from garbage. Other terms and subdivisions include:

poubellisme:  french trash art (art made from contents of "poubelles" (trash bins) garbology-general term for dealing with and/or interacting with Garbage; as in a "garbologist".  Trash poetry--trash plus a stamp. also, trash arranged in a purposeful way to achieve a desired aesthetic.  Junk Art Trash Art Found objects Mail art Omens (see definition below)

Civilized and Mystical branch of Trashpoetry--Mail Art Omen-ists:

superstitious about  trashpo. It has to be authentic in that it was found, not sought out, and comes  in a way that is  mysterious and serendipitous. It  has to have come from someone other than the finder, preferably an anonymous 'donor'. If the items are too commonly found, they are of no interest. It has to be something that has some meaning to someone even if just for a fleeting moment.

A non-inclusive definition of trashbooks:

Trashbooks generally consist of, but are not limited to: shopping lists,  magazine bits, shop slips, reject art, cereal boxes, messages (with and without meaning), typically grungy and messy, torn, tattered,stamped, consisting of multiple textures such as felt, bubble wrap, envelopes, cardboard, ribbon, string, paper towel, dryer sheets, plastic, postcards, vellum, etc. with a binding-typically sewn. What makes a trashbook a trashbook, is that the creator intended it to be a trashbook (with or without the acknowledgement by the book itself that it is a trashbook), and that the materials are things typically discarded, without immediate value, and unconventional in some way. Items can be found, extraneous (spell chick can edit this post), rejected, dejected, forgotten, abandoned, discarded, unappreciated, cast off, put aside, or have hidden value seen only to other trashpo artists, if such a thing exists. Cheryl has recently validated trashbooks as a  genre.trashbooks will appreciated in a whole new way. If trashbooks were a character, they would be the underdog. And some people can not help but root for the underdog.     If anyone has anything to add or subtract please do this is just my input and it really needs an editor!!

[DKeys]

please add anything you feel needs to be included: your thoughts, insights, whims, inspirations, etc. A new member has asked me what a trashbook is so I am directing them here

[Nancy Bell Scott]

What does "It has to have come from someone other than the finder" mean? E.g., Dean found a glove in the street, considered it a mail art omen, and then sent it to me. So the glove came to me from the finder. Is something missing? Not to make this thing any more complicated than it already is or could get if we go bananas.

[DKeys]

Dean found the glove so he is the finder and the glove came from someone other than him.  So, it refers more to the procurement of the trash. But then intentionally created trash counts too. I think I wrote more about the classifications but don't really know how to find things through the maze of threads. There is private trash, public trash, metatrash, raw trash, sterilized trash, corporate packaging trash, manipulated trash--I have to find where I wrote more ridiculous descriptions. so foncusing

[Alicia Starr]

Perfect Diane. Those little snippets you see from the corner of your eye. you are pulled in. and when you stop to pick it up, some who see this think you've found money. My husband came home a month or so ago. He was smiling and said, "i found trashpo for you." it was a little beaded bracelet. I didn't want to discourage him.

[De Villo Sloan]

There are some amazing nuggets in this stream:

:Trashpo is an Attitude." I never thought of it that way, but that could well sum it up.'

DK - "trash procurement." Like the DKULT D-Vision of Trash Procurement.

[DKeys]

Nancy and Neil are now the resident DKult Trash Procurement Specialists--the most revered position at the complex. 

[Jennifer Jones (JJalltheway)]

Perhaps the best way to explain the Trashbook is to send one to the curious person. I suppose that mightn't guide their actions when wanting to make one. Or would it? I think once you get to the point of wanting to make one, you've probably arrived at trashpo enlightenment.

[Dean aka Artist in Seine]

Oh I see the glove has come up again.  I had agreed to do another glove for Kat, but the funny thing is, (although I think very strange), I have not seen another glove since.  I'm to the point of maybe retiring a pair of my gloves.  So how does it work?  If I lose one of my gloves, does this mean I found the other?

PS Diane, great work with all the terms.  They were fun to read.

[Neil Gordon]

Your description of trashpo is Pure Poetry Diane!.... Trashpo consists of objects from the mundane that are transformed into the spiritual and religious because of their serendipitous nature, and kinetic quality. Trashpo is a combination of pyschomitry and art. Art = communication; art = human expression and Life. By" reading" someones trash we get a window into their world,which enhances ours! Trashpo is a universal language,also let us not forget the 13,000 pieces of "space -trash" floating about in space. What would ET trashpo look like????

[Nancy Bell Scott]

Trashpo is an attitude.

and

Once you get to the point of wanting to make [a trashbook], you've probably arrived at trashpo enlightenment.

(Angie / JJ)

Just two of the standout insights in this discussion so far, but every single commenter has contributed to my own understanding (and profound enjoyment) of TRASHPO. It was a compelling force at work in some WARPO way before I even knew it had a name, but now there is a B.T. and A.T. line in my life.  Thank you to Queen Diane and all Her Followers. When can those of us who work for this cause get a tour of the complex?

[DKeys]

Great addition you guys-Neil couldn't have said it better.  Diana, that is such a funny story. He thought he was doing so well to give you something 'pretty' and 'shiny' not knowing you would be thrilled with a grungy post it note. The people in our lives become unwitting participants in our trash art. Makes it easy for them as we are cheap dates and easy to please:)  A new IOUMA member was looking through Svenja's photos and saw a trashbook. She then asked her what that is and Svenja directed her to me (or DVS). I sent her an invite to this group but she hasn't joined. Hopefully she will though and you're right Jennifer-someone will have to send her a trashbook or some trashpo.

Dean, the mail art omen was based on our conversation from a while back!

[De Villo Sloan]

Neil Gordon is a visionary. We know how much trash is already floating around in space. We're turning the solar system into a landfill. Space Trashpo is "the final frontier"