The Keeper of Things

When my grandfather passed, he left behind an incredible amount of things. He was brought up during the Great Depression which brought about a habit of collecting. I started this series with the intention to give these old objects a chance to be new. They ended up having much to say. It started off relaxing, that I was breathing new life and bringing order to what once was. But as the spaces to fill became smaller and smaller, I found myself caught in what the objects really represented, a filler between what was and what could have been. The process then felt stressful, as if I were my grandfather, taking on the work it would take to remove the clutter from his body and mind, something he wasn’t able to do while he was alive. The rust began to taunt me. Watching the pile grow smaller and smaller became overwhelming. The thought of never being able to finish was scary. But the prospect of an end to was tenfold.

“All the Same”

15”x15”

My curiosity began with an assortment of allen wrenches and light switches. I started in the corners, slowly working my way towards the center. I went in without a plan, and tried to put as little thought into it as possible. It was relaxing, putting things into place. Every little thing fitting into a spot that just so happened to be fit for it. It all came together, and there was much to spare and still seemingly endless possibilities. I began this piece in his workshop before it was fully cleared. It was as if he were guiding the pieces and aiding in them coming together.

“Intravenous”

15”x10”

This piece was inspired by the countless pencils he acquired over the years. While it is impossible to know the ages of histories of said pencils, I’m sure many of them have been around since before I was born. I find it fascinating how he kept so many pencils, but hardly used most of them. This habit is commonplace in this day in age. To me, it signifies an evolution of this tendency. Maybe the potential of a pencil is of greater value than its use.

“Descent”

16”x17.5”

I used this piece to focus my attention to the countless light switches he collected. It brought upon many questions about this aspect of his hoarding. Each light switch I assume was replaced by another, likely newer one. So what was the point of keeping the old ones? I’m sure it was replaced because it went out of style or was broken. Perhaps it is a matter of empathy that lead him to keep them. Or simply a resistance to let go. Perhaps an unrealized sense of compassion led to the keeping of so many things. But maybe it was just a force of habit.