The Vernacular Architecture of the Arenellan Postcard

In the mail, I received a brown card from Roy Arenella, but it is a striking brown card.

The postcard is from the Restaurant Florent on 69 Gansevoort in New York City, where I've never eaten, though maybe I should. Among the words and clip art on the front of the card, Roy has inserted a bit of advice for me: DONT FORGET / TO / PRAISE / (AS A / (RE)SOURCE) / THE / VERNACULAR! / IN / VISPO. This note makes me wonder exactly what I could say about the use of the vernacular in visual poetry. Roy knows much about visual poetry that I don't, so he probably has something in particular in mind.


Roy Arenella, "DONT FORGET" (13 Jan 2005)
Usually, I show only one side of a card, but the backside of this card of Roy's is too good to leave hidden. He has glued a matchbook (slightly askew) to the card, and written my address on the matchbook. One of the stamps on the card, appropriately, commemorates folk art (or vernacular art). This is card numbered 21C, meaning it is the 21st mailing of the year and is a card.


Roy Arenella, Reverse of "DONT FORGET" (13 Jan 2005)
un violon d'ingres