By Joshua Rievel with essay by Marc Fischer
Public Collectors, Chicago, IL, 2026
Pages: 36
Dimensions: 7 in x 9 in
Cover: Paper
Binding: saddle stitched
Process: Digital printing
Color: Full color cover and interior
Edition size: 500
ISBN: none

The 125th publication from Public Collectors features the flyer designs and film screening graphics of Pittsburgh-based artist Joshua Rievel.

Here's the back cover text:

We live in a visually dishonest time. Flesh is smoothed over with phone camera filters. We count the number of fingers on hands and look for anatomical inconsistencies or background discrepancies in every photo that seems too good to be true. People use special effects to make their digitally-created images look like they were produced with a RISO or a photocopier from the 1980s. The lies don’t make anything better.

In this world filled with slick, forgettable AI-generated garbage, Joshua Rievel’s purposefully crude 8 1/2 x 11 inch flyers slice right through the slop. His drawings for film screenings—mostly horror films—feel like they were made by someone that was traumatized and is trying to purge what they saw by drawing from memory—scarred deeply enough to get all of the important parts right. Missing details and colors can be imagined in between gaps in the jagged lines.

Joshua Rievel was born in Johnstown, Pennsylvania 40 years ago but has lived in Pittsburgh for the last 19 years. Many of these flyers were produced for local Pittsburgh screenings and shows, but also for events in New York and the UK. Sometimes organizers and artists ask him to make flyers for their events. Rievel also takes it upon himself to promote events he likes: “I think flyers are usually bad so I’ll make my own without being asked.” Three Pittsburgh-based artists that helped with a few of these flyers are Tyler Thompson, Keith Caves, and Bradley Sizemore. Taking initiative like this and welcoming collaboration can deepen relationships and lead to future projects. Rievel also makes things for friends to support what they do and “build the real network of people who live in the same universe.”

I learned of Rievel’s work through his enthusiasm for Public Collectors, when I’d often see my Instagram posts being ‘hearted’ by someone with the memorable account name @Hamburgerlady (after the infamously repellent Throbbing Gristle song). I’d also see his flyers shared by Pittsburgh-based friends and they’d stop me in my scrolling tracks. Eventually I connected with Joshua when he messaged me on July 31, 2026 stating simply, “Gotta come visit us in Pittsburgh.” This triggered a long back and forth and my invitation to make this publication together. 

Joshua Rievel began making these flyers about 10 years ago. Most of the work in this booklet is from the last 5-6 years. Pittsburgh-based event producer, DJ, artist, and improvising musician Edgar Um Bucholtz first met Joshua because “we both attend weird shows in Pittsburgh, including shows I organized. He was a regular fixture at The Shop (a Pittsburgh DIY venue circa 2009-2017 run by Lauri Mancuso).” Bucholtz regularly booked shows there. He writes, “I admire Josh because he always has his ear to the ground—both locally and globally—listening for cool, interesting, unusual sounds/art/filmmaking. I’ve booked his various bands and duo projects over the years. He’s all in when it in comes to making cool stuff happen in Pittsburgh.” I hope this booklet preserves and spreads some of that visceral DIY organizing energy.

— Marc Fischer / Public Collectors, August 2026