Issue No. 220: 50 Years of the Art of Soup

I think I read that the Warhol Foundation in partnership with Campbell's Soup made something like 1.2 million of the four commemorative cans pictured below for sale at Target at $.75 per can starting yesterday (2 September). The LA Times and several bloggers predicted that all stores would sell out within "15 minutes". They didn't. But, last night I did notice that about a dozen Ebay sellers had

already listed sets of the four tomato soup cans with starting bids of as much as $24. I decided that purchasing a surplus of soup cans and squirreling them away might prove lucrative on a rainy day in a decade or so. If not, they'll make nice gifts.

This morning, I schlepped over to Target, filled my cart with sixteen Warhol cans and, upon checking out, discovered that Link would not cover my purchase. What does this mean? On a personal level, I guess that when you buy this special soup, you are getting the actual soup for free. What I paid for are the fancy labels; the paper. In terms of the big picture, why won't the government make a little donation of $675,000 to the Warhol Foundation (a non-for-profit that promotes the visual arts)? I'll investigate this more later.

Erik R. Peterson 

Issue No. 20: Tavi Gevinson Halloween Apparel Available at Target

Target Advert

In the spirit of Tavi Gevinson's collaboration with Rodarte for Target stores, Target is now offering the Tavi Gevinson Halloween Look. Target is calling the ensembles "looks" rather than "costumes" in the hope that buyers will view their purchases as non-seasonal after the holiday and wear down-played, less accessorized versions throughout the year, incorporating the pieces into their daily wardrobes.   

Tavi herself says, 'The beauty of working with a retailer like Target is that their looks are so affordable. I recommend investing in both, premiering each separately and then interchanging the pieces. This is how two outfits can become twenty!' She continues, 'The more high-end consumer who wants to look like me can dress up the wig and mask with something like a fur coat by Karl Lagerfeld for Fendi or one of the many faux furs creations that have graced the Autumn/Winter 2010 runways. ...Underneath? Skin. Or, you can mix and match any of these pieces with that one-of-a-kind vintage piece. Clogs go with everything.'   ~EP  

The Tavi Halloween Looks are Multicultural

Tavi (photo pilfered from her blog)