Trashpo One Hit Wonder Attempts Comeback with Michael Jackson Tribute (Escondido, California, USA)

[De Villo Sloan]

Mail-art by IUOMA member Indiana Rogers aka Fake Fine Art aka Malibu Barbie (Escondido, California, USA)

May 10, 2014 - Indiana Rogers’ “TrashPop” is still appearing on mail-art blogs and in Facebook groups many weeks after its initial release. The piece has generated a huge positive response and sparked a debate that changed the definition of Trashpo. Even Jim Leftwich (Virginia, USA), who created foundational Trashpo compositions in 2005, weighed in on the significance of “TrashPop” and found it good.

Sadly, the one-hit-wonder syndrome can manifest itself in mail-art as well as music. By posting this work by Indiana Rogers that arrived post-TrashPop, I find myself in the terrible position of having to ask: “TrashPop” was great, but what has she done for us lately? This piece is a continuation of her Trashpo obsession that offers a conspiracy theory narrative involving a dumpster fire in the proximity of the Elgin Mansion in Illinois, USA. This is explained on the card’s reverse side:

Even in the context of Trashpo mythology and DKult, the connections are strained. Although Indiana Rogers’ aka Fake Fine Art’s skill at aesthetic mimicry is still spot on, this work lacks the sparkle of “TrashPop.” Most puzzling is why she chose to build the piece around a Michael Jackson song.

Indiana Rogers’ meteoric rise in mail-art and then rapid descent into the downward spiral should be a cautionary tale for all who participate in the Eternal Network. We can only express our deepest sympathy concerning her recent efforts and offer our sincerest hope that she might again, someday, produce work of value and interest.