These are invitations to people to join in something greater than themselves. Maybe an invitation is all people need to begin a path of transformation of self and society.  I made these flyers as an extension of my role as a host.  An important continuum in my life has been hosting music performances, parties, and gatherings to bring people together and participate in something special.

Making flyers is something I've done for a long time as an artist, musician and event organizer.  In poster art, images can exist in an interesting zone in between advertisement and artwork. My style often focuses on line drawings, hand lettered text and a lot of color to draw the eye in and make the event seem as exciting as possible. But lately, I've wanted to make flyers that are stripped bare and are mostly text....they have more in common with something like a religious tract, because things seem so dire, because we have to start making change now, because it's a moral imperative to act out your beliefs. This project is a work in progress that I feel will continue as an ongoing visual record of my organizing efforts and exploration of and commentary on propaganda. There is a progression in these flyers from the specific to the general, but all are about urgent needs. They all appear in the same format as a way of connecting the issues visually.  One thing we always need more of is for various groups to work together on causes that are related. I aim to create these connections through art and organizing as a form of social practice.

I'm also interested in flyers as the relics of events.  They actually bookend events by appearing as advertisement beforehand, and are sometimes the only document that physically remains of an event when it's over.

You Are Invited!

Jasper Lee
2020
ink on paper

Flyers now seem obsolete. The pandemic has taken away opportunities for casual social events and entertainment, which is both good and bad.  It makes it harder to meet people and keep a community going. On the other hand, it's taken away a lot of distractions, so that if you're going to go out to do something, it better be really worth doing. This is where I've found myself as a music organizer.....shifting from hosting shows to using music as a way to directly unify people by inviting them to make it themselves. This Summer I began hosting a weekly drumming meet-up outdoors, which made it possible to socialize while being safe and engaging in an activity that is basic and powerful. Drumming is a way for people to connect very quickly.  It provides something physical and meditative to focus on and everyone can do it in unison. We use real drums as well as buckets, which are useful for bringing to protests. We are conscious of the communicative power of the drums and their use in political action.  We play patterns and learn chants that can then be adapted for any actions that people go to.  Drumming is a joyful noise and I want the other flyers to suggest a joy in doing those things as well.