I’m sending this postcard to Mail Me Art in London as part of their Going Postal project. I started making postcards when I was studying abroad in England. I’m not sure if I’m going to be included, but I feel like I’m paying something back.
![From Wikipedia on January 9, 2010:
The first known mention of the word ABRACADABRA was in the 2nd century AD in a poem called De Medicina Praecepta by Serenus Sammonicus, physician to the Roman emperor Caracalla, who prescribed that the sufferer from the disease wear an amulet containing the word written in the form of a triangle:[1]
A - B - R - A - C - A - D - A - B - R - A A - B - R - A - C - A - D - A - B - R A - B - R - A - C - A - D - A - B A - B - R - A - C - A - D - A A - B - R - A - C - A - D A - B - R - A - C - A A - B - R - A - C A - B - R - A A - B - R A - B A
This, he explained, diminishes the hold over the patient of the spirit of the disease. Other Roman emperors, including Geta and Alexander Severus, were followers of the medical teachings of Serenus Sammonicus and are likely to have used the incantation as well.](http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_kvym2msd7C1qz7pzko1_500.jpg)
From Wikipedia on January 9, 2010:
The first known mention of the word ABRACADABRA was in the 2nd century AD in a poem called De Medicina Praecepta by Serenus Sammonicus, physician to the Roman emperor Caracalla, who prescribed that the sufferer from the disease wear an amulet containing the word written in the form of a triangle:[1]
A - B - R - A - C - A - D - A - B - R - A
A - B - R - A - C - A - D - A - B - R
A - B - R - A - C - A - D - A - B
A - B - R - A - C - A - D - A
A - B - R - A - C - A - D
A - B - R - A - C - A
A - B - R - A - C
A - B - R - A
A - B - R
A - B
AThis, he explained, diminishes the hold over the patient of the spirit of the disease. Other Roman emperors, including Geta and Alexander Severus, were followers of the medical teachings of Serenus Sammonicus and are likely to have used the incantation as well.
![From Wikipedia on January 9, 2010:
The late Amram Kehati in his recently posted article on the net [2][3]claims that the source is Hebrew and the ABRACADABRA has to be read from right to left as in Hebrew. ABRACADABRA, when phonetically pronounced from right to left, reads in Hebrew ארבע-דאח-ארבע. The Hebrew word דאח is the word אחד with rearrangement of the letters. This was done to confuse the daemon or for various witchery reasons. The evil, dark forces and the daemons kingdom in the Jewish Kabbalah are represented by the number 9 (the Hebrew word תשעה) or the Hebrew letter (“טית “ט). Since the ABRACADABRA word has to diminish a letter a day for nine (9) days it has to have enough letters. The Hebrew word תשעה is too short because it has only four letters. Therefore, the Hebrew word ארבע-אחד-ארבע was created. The Hebrew word ארבע is the Hebrew word for the number 4 (four) and the Hebrew word אחד is the Hebrew word for the number 1 (one). Therefore, ארבע+אחד+ארבע equal 4+1+4=9 and it represents the dark forces and daemons kingdom. This explanation for ABRACADABRA succeeds where all other previous known explanations and sources did not explain why the patient has to wear the amulet for nine (9) days. In Hebrew the “ABRACADABRA” should read as “ארבעאחדארבע” and the amulet should be as follows:
א-ר-ב-ע-א-ח-ד-א-ר-ב-ע ר-ב-ע-א-ח-ד-א-ר-ב-ע ב-ע-א-ח-ד-א-ר-ב-ע ע-א-ח-ד-א-ר-ב-ע א-ח-ד-א-ר-ב-ע ח-ד-א-ר-ב-ע ד-א-ר-ב-ע א-ר-ב-ע ר-ב-ע ב-ע ע](http://29.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_kvymbdpicF1qz7pzko1_500.jpg)
From Wikipedia on January 9, 2010:
The late Amram Kehati in his recently posted article on the net [2][3]claims that the source is Hebrew and the ABRACADABRA has to be read from right to left as in Hebrew. ABRACADABRA, when phonetically pronounced from right to left, reads in Hebrew ארבע-דאח-ארבע. The Hebrew word דאח is the word אחד with rearrangement of the letters. This was done to confuse the daemon or for various witchery reasons. The evil, dark forces and the daemons kingdom in the Jewish Kabbalah are represented by the number 9 (the Hebrew word תשעה) or the Hebrew letter (“טית “ט). Since the ABRACADABRA word has to diminish a letter a day for nine (9) days it has to have enough letters. The Hebrew word תשעה is too short because it has only four letters. Therefore, the Hebrew word ארבע-אחד-ארבע was created. The Hebrew word ארבע is the Hebrew word for the number 4 (four) and the Hebrew word אחד is the Hebrew word for the number 1 (one). Therefore, ארבע+אחד+ארבע equal 4+1+4=9 and it represents the dark forces and daemons kingdom. This explanation for ABRACADABRA succeeds where all other previous known explanations and sources did not explain why the patient has to wear the amulet for nine (9) days. In Hebrew the “ABRACADABRA” should read as “ארבעאחדארבע” and the amulet should be as follows:
א-ר-ב-ע-א-ח-ד-א-ר-ב-ע
ר-ב-ע-א-ח-ד-א-ר-ב-ע
ב-ע-א-ח-ד-א-ר-ב-ע
ע-א-ח-ד-א-ר-ב-ע
א-ח-ד-א-ר-ב-ע
ח-ד-א-ר-ב-ע
ד-א-ר-ב-ע
א-ר-ב-ע
ר-ב-ע
ב-ע
ע
Untitled Postcard #4 - David LaMorte
I have been thinking a lot about value, the things we value and what makes something valueable. I am really interesting in the one dollar bill because of its symbolism as a valuable object and how it’s value has changed so much.
I also included images that represent online video and mass marketing because of their relationship to value.
Untitled Postcard #3 - David LaMorte
As much as I love LEGOs, I’m always amazed how expensive they are.
Untitled Postcard #2 - David LaMorte
This is a variation on a few of the themes I have been working on lately. On this postcard I am using the diamond pattern and some of my dollar bills.
Untitled Postcard #1 - David LaMorte
I have been working with this diamond pattern for a little while now. I might want to use this for something else, but I like how this piece works on its own. I love how the pattern lets me us a lot of different paper without looking too busy.
Tools of the trade.
Happy birthday Tom.
