Junk mail protest

12:05pm Thursday 11th October 2007

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AN artist has created an unusual exhibit in her garden out of unwanted junk mail.

Anne Cohen, 54, from Fenham in Newcastle, has been placing all the junk mail delivered to her by hand - but not by postal service - on a metal spike outside her front door.

Started on January 1, the artwork is now over 5ft tall.

Mother-of-four Mrs Cohen said she came up with the idea to get people talking about the volume of junk mail delivered in her neighbourhood.

"We just get so much junk mail. We're totally inundated," she said. "There are lots of students around here so we get masses of takeaway leaflets in particular.

"I'm using art as a tool to start a debate. I just want to show things up and people can come to their own conclusions."

Mrs Cohen, who will continue adding to the pile until the end of December, puts a stopper on top of the spike to prevent other people adding material, because she wants to find out just how much junk mail one household receives in a year.

Mrs Cohen graduated in design and public art from the Chelsea College of Art & Design and then took an MA at Sunderland University in art and the environment.

She said that once the piece is finished she hopes to spray and preserve it so that it can go on display in a gallery.

* Do you get too much junk mail? What can be done? Have your say, leave a comment below.