Comments (0) Best Newspaper Insert - 2000

Slop's Supermarket, Wall-Art & Floor Clutterings, Adriane Herman and Brian Reeves

For their contribution to the Kansas City Art Institute Faculty show, Adriane Herman and Brian Reeves affixed a newspaper dispenser to the wall with a sign on the front imploring one and all to "Take one! It's free!" Inside was Slop's Supermarket, Wall-Art & Floor Clutterings, a stack of what looked exactly like an advertising insert from the Sunday paper. It was printed on the same slick newsprint as Wal-Mart and Target ads. And it was laid out the same way, with lots of pictures of the products, bold print, and exclamation marks proclaiming their merits, and prices written large. But instead of lawn mowers, food processors, and TVs, this insert featured cutting-edge contemporary art. Flip through the pages and you'll realize the work is from artists working all across the country and every single piece is actually for sale. The best part of the whole piece, though, is how closely it resembles a real newspaper insert. Put it on the coffee table with your art books. Watch as your visitors quickly brush it to the side thinking it's nothing more than an ad you forgot to throw away. And then watch their eyes when you explain what it is.