Prospectus

Prospectus for the Common Box Project

A few boxy thoughts:

Do you remember? - all good things came in boxes ... and still do. The box is the conveyor of our needs, our triumphs, our creativity, our ability to produce, our follies, our hang-ups, our memorabilia and finally that which we have reduced to refuse.

The box is part of our everyday language and thinking. .. our involvement with and obsession for boxes is incessant and seemingly quite inescapable. From the moment we first open our eyes to the very instant we close them for the last time, the box - as an intriguing and exciting physical form, design or concept - is ever present.

Some boxy links:
http://ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/cornell/
http://collagemuseum.com/assemblage_exhibit/index.html

The Nitty Gritty
A limited number of boxes have been designed & built to house John’s new CD (in the back of the box) and sold as part of a limited edition art/music box collection.
If you accept this invitation you will receive an Art Kit. The art kit will contain, among other things, a raw wood box (approximately 7x7x5 inches) that can be covered and filled with any variety of objects, paintings, words, and anything else you see fit, project guidelines, lyrics, inspirational material, access to audio from the new record which is currently being recorded and access to John Common for discussions, inspiration, questions about songs/lyrics etc. After receiving this kit, we ask that you make a wonderful creation inspired in some way by what you receive in your kit.

Completed boxes will be returned to the Bailey/Common team where they will be prepared for
exhibition/sale. All boxes will be exhibited from July 9 -17 at Abecedarian Gallery. Base prices for each artwork will be mutually agreed on by the artist and Bailey/Common team. Once sold each artist receives 35% of the sale price, along with a copy of the new CD.

Important dates
June 27, 2009 - Boxes must be completed and returned to Abecedarian Gallery
July 9 - Exhibit of boxes opens to the public.
July 14 - Abecedarian Gallery hosts July Action Figures with John Common
July 18, 2009 - Exhibition closes. Artist reception and listening party (sneak peak at the new record by John Common & Blinding Flashes of Light) at Abecedarian Gallery from 7:00 to 10pm

The general idea is that the boxes will be kept in gallery inventory until sold or for 12 months following the exhibition. At the end of 12 months, unsold boxes will be returned to the artists at artists’ expense, along with John’s CD. Details/consignment agreement available soon.

To participate please print and fill out the following form. Send it, along with payment of $10 (+ $7 if you need the box shipped) to cover the cost of the Art Kit and send to:

Abecedarian Gallery
910 Santa Fe
#101
Denver, CO 80204

If you are unable to pick up your Art Kit from the gallery, please enclose an additional $7 to cover the cost of shipping the box to you.

You can pay via credit card and fax your form in 303.479.9556 if you wish

Name on credit card__________________________________
Amount authorized____________
Visa/Mastercard number________________________________
Exp. ______
CCV(3 digit code) _______
Zip code of address card is billed to____________
Cardholders signature_________________________________________

Just a couple more things
This is a first come, first serve project.

Although the deadline isn’t until late June for box delivery, early delivery and/or hi-res images of your box will help us promote events more effectively. It is understood that images of your piece will be used for both print and online publicity.

Please, please, please - if you have questions or concerns, be in touch with either or both of us.

WE HOPE YOU’LL JOIN THIS EXPERIMENT IN INTEGRATING AND CONNECTING VISUAL ART WITH MUSICAL ART!