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James Leonard - I Dream of Publicity installed in a gallery, with tall stack of takeaway movie posters on the ground and one hung and framed in glowing marquee lights behind
James Leonard - A pair of photos depicting a man picking up a blue movie poster from the installation, I Dream of Publicity, to take home
James Leonard - A detail shot of an I Dream of Publicity poster which includes humorous, made up quotes from the Boston Globe and New York Times
James Leonard - Detail of I Dream of Publicity poster framed by Hollywood marquee lights and the words, now showing
James Leonard - I Dream of Publicity installed in a gallery, with tall stack of takeaway movie posters on the ground and one hung and framed in glowing marquee lights behind
James Leonard - A pair of photos depicting a man picking up a blue movie poster from the installation, I Dream of Publicity, to take home
James Leonard - A detail shot of an I Dream of Publicity poster which includes humorous, made up quotes from the Boston Globe and New York Times
James Leonard - Detail of I Dream of Publicity poster framed by Hollywood marquee lights and the words, now showing

I Dream of Publicity

$20,000.00

2002 
Movie poster marquee, posters 
41" x 27” poster dimension

This installation is comprised of a stack of blue movie posters, maintained at a height of approximately 36”. Visitors are permitted to take posters from the pile to be hung and distributed as they see fit. One copy hangs above the stack, framed by an illuminated marquee; its animated chaser lights blink on and off. 

In order to achieve a supersaturated blue, these posters were printed with three identical plates—using a special archival ink. These were generated at a print facility on the south side of Chicago that ran many fine art jobs for the Art Institute of Chicago museum store. 

Each poster lists the following quotes:
“A quiet roller coaster ride.” - The Boston Globe
“...stately as a storm on the horizon.” - New York Times
“I cried.” - USA Today
Four stars. - Los Angeles Times 

These quotations came to the artist one night during a dream. They resonated as a compelling blend of self-deprecating humor, sincere desire for acknowledgement, and critique of celebrity culture.
James Leonard - Zoomed in image of the quote, "I cried," - USA Today, which is one of four quotes on the artist's I Dream of Publicity movie poster
James Leonard - Full frame image of a blue I Dream of Publicity poster, with invented quotes the Boston Globe, NYT, USA Today, and LA Times
James Leonard - Zoomed in image of the quote, "...stately as a storm on the horizon." - New York Times, which is one of the four fabricated quotes on the artist's I Dream of Publicity poster
James Leonard - A detail image from I Dream of Publicity poster, five stars are in quotes and underneath reads Lost Angeles Times

I Dream of Publicity Poster

$250.00

2002
Offset print on archival paper
41" x 27”
Edition of 250

Originally produced for the installation I Dream of Publicity, this limited edition poster features four fictional reviews attributed to modern American media outlets. In order to achieve the supersaturated blue, these posters were printed with three identical plates using archival ink.

Each poster lists the following quotes:
“A quiet roller coaster ride.” - The Boston Globe
“...stately as a storm on the horizon.” - New York Times
“I cried.” - USA Today
Four stars. - Los Angeles Times