Letter from a Serious Man

Riding New York City subway trains inspired these letters. Some have been forgotten. Some will remain with me forever. Blogging has allowed me to process them through new media. I share them with you now.

Letter from a Serious Man
by Suzanne Coley

You think I'm joking? I'm not joking!

These "contests" are a double rip-off.

Now check this out: the winners. First place -- the 2001 What’s-his-name prize recipient, FOR THE SAME WORK that won now! Must have been really ahead of her time, that one.

Still think I'm kidding? I'm not kidding! Now look here: here's my submission. "Urban jungle: Screen prints of urban scenes inspired by face and body painting of indigenous Amazon tribes." See this? They look like five-color prints, but I did it with two, and got all those colors right!

Now here's the "regret to inform -- many outstanding -- see you and your 40 bucks next year" letter; and here, 10 months later, an exhibition at that same place: "City canopy: contemporary photography inspired by the art of Amazon tribes". Glow-in-the-dark tits shot through a stained glass window; what the hell?

Well, good luck, kiddo! You really must be on your way...

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