Visual-textual collage by Jon Foster (Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA)

[De Villo Sloan]

Mail-art by IUOMA member Jon Foster (Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA)

May 28, 2013 - I am pleased to share this fantastic collage by Jon Foster. Many friends are, no doubt, familiar with the fantastic textures and overlay effects Jon is able to achieve with his tape-tearing technique, a practice much harder than it appears. Jon Foster is a true master, IMHO.

He searches for ephemera from different eras, and his content is always fascinating. While Jon is a member of the Trashpo group at the IUOMA, his work is seldom associated with Trashpo.

A text-centered piece, such as the one above, reveals that his work often crosses over into visual poetry (vispo) and, based on the found material he uses, a kind of vispo that shows similarities to the work of Diane Keys (Illinois, USA) and Jim Leftwich (Virginia, USA).

I think the work above presents many interesting textual elements, ranging from collaged syntax to fragmented words and letters.

Many thanks, Jon!

And make sure to visit Jon Foster’s blog:

http://thejonfoster.blogspot.com/

[De Villo Sloan]

Much appreciated, Carina.

You identify something about this piece by Jon Foster that two Trashpo luminaries did not note. The foundation is a grid & there is a linear, text-like suggestion as a result. That accounts for a lot. 

This is a case of "seeing the forest but for the trees" for sure. 

[Carina]

The horizontal/diagonal lines are superb. Great thinking.

[De Villo Sloan]

Thanks for the clarification, DK. I was thinking of something different: Purposefully making trash rather than finding it.

Excellent point about Jon making those trash layers, definitely. And we never got into the idea of the decomposition of the trash being part of the work (in some cases anyway).

Really good ideas!

[DKeys]

He is using a tape transfer of trash, so in that way I see it as a duplication and alteration. To me, it is a way of making the trash even MORE like trash, by further helping it decompose or deteriorate. I don't know what you would call it. I don't think of it as synthetic, because it's definately organic. Maybe he is creating trashpo strata. That's what I think of when I see this. It seems much more ordered than other pieces by Jon.

[De Villo Sloan]

DK, I don't want to go "medieval," but where is Jon using synthetic Trashpo? Like synthetic roadkill, can that be good?

People who are familiar with my "Trashpoetics" frequently ask me: "DVS, what is 'representational Trashpo'?"And it is exactly what you said Jon did, Diane. Anyway I think it is, if I understood what you meant.

[DKeys]

I like how this includes not just trash, but copies of trash. Trash twice removed.

[De Villo Sloan]

Thanks DK, Jon is definitely on his game here with fractured text, a Trashpo wink & a dash of D-Khaos.

[DKeys]

This one is particularly interesting--love the diagonal lines.. The colors shouldn't go together, but he makes them all work. looks like a viz po music score nice blogQ