419 (occasional 420), Reston, Virginia & Lagos, Nigeria, 2005

2007 - 2009

One of five books included in the first edition of Fair Use (notes from spam)

419 (occasional 420) explores spam as the lowest common denominator traffic of globalization - describing the inequities of consumption and access that link Nigerian ‘419’ spam with technology landfills outside Lagos and server farms in Virginia. Starting from an exchange between a Nigerian spam gang and an American scambaiter, this book draws out a broader history of the colonial spread of the English language, mask play and the mutual vanities and greed that create the conditions for a con.

419 cover spread

419 barclays 419 front page 419 justice 419 graphic array
418 reenactment 419 server farm 419 Lloyds

Thumbnails are detals of pages from 419 (occasional 420) (2009)

 

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