I’m a collector of shirts ​

Of pictures ​

And bottles ​

Because my mother is the artist who finds beauty in a pulled thread or a burned match ​

​

My house was filled with crap  ​

And no one understands that we are the creators of worlds ​

​

The gilded pieces on our walls float from the rubble which coat the concrete basement​

And creep up the ceiling until they themselves are found ​

as gifts under lover’s trees ​

“Aesthetic Waste” is not a singular project. It is the theory and inspiration behind this art installation, the title of this poem, and the ongoing mindfulness within my life. The original goal was to bring awareness to material usage and waste in the artistic community. However, as the project progressed from an idea to a reality, I found the idea of self-worth coming up in terms of what is being thrown away. 

This installation involves ceramic work that was intended to be thrown away by myself and seven other artists, plus a plethora of found items that were going to be used for art projects and abandoned. I realized in the quest for perfection in craft, we sacrifice the reality of the art-making process. Pieces that aren’t “good enough” are thrown away, even those that are still usable. Pieces that break do not get repurposed as they could be most of the time. Miscellaneous art materials purchased with intention are often tossed into a corner to collect dust. In this piece I chose to celebrate these lost ideas through objects intended for the landfill.

Last semester in the ceramic studio I realized that in college, professors don’t refer to what we make as “artwork.” They call it “work.”  It is work. It is patience. It is practice. It is mindfulness. As a collector of things, I accumulate objects that other people consider to be waste. I have been meaning to make a “shit sculpture” (for lack of a better word) for quite a while. Preparation for this installation involved finding objects that fit my criteria, unwanted items like broken pottery and old art projects. I intended to create a pseudo-landfill filled with life and hope-even in the face of death. Tiny baby dolls are juxtaposed with skulls and dead flowers, while broken and unsatisfactory pots rest atop unfired and abandoned work. At the top, a crusty towel stands on its own, begging the viewer to see a waterfall, thereby creating a visual hint to what our mind views as landscape. Aspects of the scene are disturbing and grotesque, while other parts are playful. 

 As finals approached, I saw how excessive my material usage is. The catalog of pieces due the week of May 15th was 20 large-scale drawings, a sculpture made of steel and plaster, 140 realistic Ancient Roman cups and bowls, and my own personal ceramic work to apply for senior studio. My craft is being honed and my eye attuned to details as never before. The work I have accomplished is very important to me. I now notice the difference in thickness of a pot by the sound it makes when I tap it. To get to this place has yielded one piece I am proud of for every 50 that are not successful. It pains me how much material was wasted with all the pieces I was unimpressed by. I realize that disappointment within myself is not enough to warrant added excess trash on Earth. 

My life experiences, thoughts, and feelings are processed the most deeply through creation. However, this is not always the most conducive lifestyle for how the world operates.

 I will never forget the day that one of my toughest and most influential professors used the term “the artist’s curse.” He explained the phenomenon as “never satisfied with anything you create.” It is really about being your own hardest critic. The process of dealing with how you view yourself and how others view you is painful. Even though my art is not me, it is an extension of me which has no other way to be seen. I have heard people talk about “the artist’s curse” in terms of success and money and how society does not value the work of artists to allow for consistent income, except for a chosen few. For this reason, the act of being an artist becomes a political statement within itself. As artists we constantly defend the work we do. We do not choose to make art because it is lucrative, it is because we must do it for ourselves and society. 

Throughout this whole semester, I have been thinking about objects one keeps after a significantly intimate relationship or friendship ends. Personally, I have kept a lot of objects from these similar kinds of relationships. As I was thinking of the significant value these objects hold to my identity as well as my past, I thought about others who might do the same. So, I began to ask my friends and family what objects they have kept from their past relationships.

I decided to do a video interview because I believe it is most effective at capturing true responses. I interviewed Marie Bruno (my grandma), Greg Benlien (my dad), Regina Benlien (my mom), Robert Shaw (my boyfriend), and Sky Rolnick (my friend/classmate). All of these people come from different backgrounds, genders, and ages so, I got a variety of responses for my project. Three people chose to recall objects from past friendships and two people spoke about an object given to them by an ex.

After taking feedback from my classmates, I walked around campus and asked random people about objects they have kept from their past friendships or relationships. I got a variety of answers and was pleasantly surprised by the number of people eager to be interviewed for my project. I believe these short interviews, which I interspersed in my video, strengthened my project because I got to interact with even more people about this topic.

Before I interviewed my longer segment interviewees I asked them if they wanted to participate in my video. Then we found time to meet and I recorded them on my phone.  I asked them questions like, “Who gave you this object?”, “What is your relationship with that person?”, and “ Why did you hold onto this object?”. After the interview was over I asked to take a picture of their object and used a white piece of paper for the background. Once I got all my video clips and pictures, I used iMovie to edit the video. I also record a voice-over to explain what my project was about and a conclusion.

I learned a lot from interviewing my family, friends, and strangers about their objects. Each of them had a unique story associated with their object that tells me more about the person they are. I found it shocking that they all were happy to talk about the objects they selected, even though it could potentially be a touchy subject. I found it interesting that all of these stories happened a significant amount of time ago but they were able to recall the story of how they got the object as if it happened yesterday. For many of my interviewees they at first didn’t think they had any objects they held on to after an end of a friendship or relationship. Each one of them as they thought about it realized that they did in fact have something.

Overall this project taught me that the objects we hold on to after a relationship or friendship ends are how we identify with our past. These objects are not always apparent to us but they bring us comfort or in some cases pain. I infer that many people (myself included) keep these objects as a remembrance of the person they lost. This object serves not only as a reminder but as a placeholder for the person that is no longer in their everyday lives. When I was first coming into this project I thought many people threw out objects after a relationship or friendship ended. I was comforted to hear that many people keep these kinds of objects, similar to myself. 

In the future, I would love to continue this work either through a longer interview documentary or maybe into a piece of artwork. I began to wonder how the person who gave the other person the object feels about them still having said object. It is so fascinating what objects we choose to hold on to and how we choose to remember the past.

Physical Description

The fabric is framed atop wood shingle with space to see the fraying and ripped edges beneath the glass in a 1-inch wooden frame. The piece was likely torn from the bottom stripe of the flag, based on the extent of the tearing on the other sides. There is an inconsistency to the red dye in splotches throughout the remnant and seems to be from a stain, which was reported to be from the blood of soldiers. The embroidery reading “1863.” is very neatly embroidered, which alludes to the use of a machine. It was pinned to blue lined paper that was removed in September of 2012 to reveal an inscription reading “Remnant of Flag carried by 156th Regt” (156th Regiment).

Provenance

This flag piece can be dated to the year 1863 from numerous angles; the type of embroidery is typical of that of 1863, the written accompanying narrative from the New Paltz Independent and New Paltz Monumental Society additionally supports this, and it is, of course, embroidered on the flag itself. It was reported to have been carried by members of the 156th Regiment–more specifically color-sergeant James Brink, Corporal Alexander Cameron, and Corporal John Scott–and is said to have the splatterings of the blood of each of these men. Its origin in the 156th Regiment further alludes to an origin in New Paltz specifically, as a majority of the 156th Regiment was recruited in and from New Paltz. At the Monumental Society, this piece was displayed and in the possession of Elvy D. Snyder, later given to the granddaughter of Cyrus Freer who married into the Snyder family. Speculation has led many to assume it was given to her as Cyrus Freer was killed during the civil war as a gift in memory of her father.

Narrative

1863 was a formative and bloody year in American history, and the year embroidered on this scrap of blood-stained red fabric. This tattered fragment of fabric was written about in the “New Paltz Independent” paper on January 6th, 1870, and described as “a relic.”

Carried in the Second Winchester Battle in Winchester, Virginia, this remnant describes a country in turmoil. The First Winchester Battle in 1862 was a decisive, threatening, and frightening Confederate victory. With Winchester, Virginia located so close to the Mason-Dixon line, this was an important location for the Union to stand their ground and push the Confederacy to retreat. The Second Winchester Battle in 1863, where this flag was proudly marched by the Union, was yet another Union defeat. It wasn’t until the Third, and final, Winchester Battle that the Union persevered. 

The greater flag this piece was a part of was carried by color-sergeant James Brink, who was wounded in the arm while carrying it. It is said to have splatterings of his blood and the blood of two other men: Corporal Alexander Cameron who was killed during battle after taking this flag from James Brink, and Corporal John Scott who was fatally wounded with it shortly after seizing it. In the writing sample, they write, “The stains of blood may yet be seen upon the flag!” It wasn’t until twenty days after that writing sample was written that Virginia rejoins the Union on January 26th, 1870 during Reconstruction.

The 156th Regiment, inscribed on the paper it was pinned to on the back, was composed of hundreds of men from New York, including the “New Paltz Volunteers.” The Regiment was constructed in 1862 and continued until 1865 when they were disbanded in Georgia. If the flag remnant continued with the group, this would explain the delay in its arrival in New Paltz until 1870 when it was revealed and discussed at the New Paltz Monumental Society by Elvy D. Snyder.

It is unclear as to how this piece was separated from the rest of the flag. It could be something that was torn during the throes of battle and later discovered as the piece that we currently have, though it seems more intentional to me as it contains specifically the embroidery of the year. There is a small “~” mark that appears just before the year and a “.” at the end, which seem to collectively imply that there was more embroidery around this year. This adds to the supposition that it was intentionally selected to be separated as it contained the year, which would have been important given the context of the battle it was carried into in 1863 and the men who died with it that year.

The greater flag that this scrap likely originated from can be predicted from those on coins of this era. It likely appeared very similar to those of the current flag of the United States of America, though adjusted for the number of stars based on the states that were established at the time. It is unclear if the 156th Regiment had a distinct flag, but there is no indication that they were carrying a flag different from the greater United States flag. This piece therefore likely belongs to one of the stripes, and would probably have been placed on the top or bottom stripe. As evident by the excessive tearing at the top and the relatively intact sewn line at the bottom, it seems to have been embroidered along the bottom stripe.

The use of embroidery on this piece is also of note. It was not until 1828 that machines were being invented to assist with embroidery, and by the year 1863, it had become relatively commonplace to use these machines in place of hand embroidery. The neat nature of the embroidery heavily implies the use of a machine in its creation, further indicating the time frame and context of its use and making.

This flag remnant is a time capsule of the military contexts of the time and intersects with a part of New Paltz’s history as a snippet of the greater United States experience in the bloody year of 1863.

Works Cited

“1863.” National Museum of American History, 26 Aug. 2013, 

https://americanhistory.si.edu/changing-america-emancipation-proclamation-1863-and-march-washington-1963/1863.

LeFevre, Ralph. History of New Paltz, New York and Its Old Families: (from 1678-1820) 

Including the Huguenot Pioneers and Others Who Settled in New Paltz Previous to the Revolution. with an Appendix Bringing down the History of Certain Families and Some Other Matter to 1850. Genealogical Pub. Co., 1973. 

“New York State Military Museum and Veterans Research Center.” 156th Infantry Regiment :: 

New York State Military Museum and Veterans Research Center, https://museum.dmna.ny.gov/unit-history/infantry-2/156th-infantry-regiment. 

“Second Winchester.” American Battlefield Trust, 

https://www.battlefields.org/learn/civil-war/battles/second-winchester.

“The Story of Virginia’s Reconstruction.” Reconstructing Virginia, 

https://reconstructingvirginia.richmond.edu/overview.

McGoldrick, Louise. “Freer Family Research” 12 Apr. 2023

Caption

This eight by seven-foot double cloth coverlet is a stunning work of art, showcasing the intricate design and skillful weaving techniques of the Libertyville Woolen Mill with its stunning crests and floral patterns, natural dyes, and elegant craftsmanship. Donated by Ruth O’Hara, this coverlet is not only a stunning work of art but also a symbol of the rich history of textile production and the families who ran the factories in Ulster County.

Physical Description of the Object

Double cloth refers to the interlacing of two separate sets of wool, and allows for the creation of such remarkable crests and floral patterns. The fascinating range of dulled yellow and black demonstrates the complex nature of the dying of fabrics during this time period. “Many of the dyes used came from plant sources such as indigo, madder, and weld. These dyes were often used in combination to produce different shades and tones” (Lemire 356). With these dyes creating the 3 primary colors, it’s remarkable that the natural dyes could have such a wide range of color as demonstrated by this coverlet. Upon closer inspection, one can see that in the center of the coverlet four bald eagles proudly spread their wings over a crest, symbolizing the American flag and virtue. The corner of the coverlet proudly reads the description Libertyville Ulster County NY demonstrating that this is a locally sourced coverlet. Along with that the name Dinah Roosa is displayed on the corner as well presenting who this coverlet was given to and who owned this coverlet. This cloth’s beauty stands as a testament to both the skill of the weavers and the designers of the Libertyville Woolen Mill. 

Provenance

This coverlet is one of only eleven coverlets owned by Historic Huguenot Street. This coverlet was woven by the owner of the factory during the 1850’s Jacob Lowe, during this time it was gifted to Dinah Roosa. Eventually this coverlet was gifted to Ruth O’Hara, who kindly gifted it to Huguenot Street. While the details of how Ruth O’Hara came to possess the coverlet are also not known, the fact that the coverlet has remained in the possession of a small number of individuals over the years is significant, as it suggests that the object has been valued and cared for.

Narrative

This woven coverlet tells a significant story about the values and products exported and sold in Ulster County. The wealthy LeFerve family purchased the Libertyville Woolen Mill during the 1800s. Descended from French Hueguenot settlers, they became very wealthy through the buying and selling of land and crops. Involved in local government and politics the LeFevre family was integral to the growth of Ulster County. While the exact year is unknown and reason as to why Jacob Lowe sold the mill, during the late 19th century the LeFevre family gained possession of the mill. The LeFevre family as intelligent business owners expanded the factory, making the Liberty Woolen Mill one of the largest places of employment and production in Ulster County. This factory played a major role in the local economy as it encouraged local farmers to produce wool and other goods that could be utilized in factory production. 

  New technological innovations allowed for coverlets like Dinah’s to be created. Joseph Jacquard was a revolutionary inventor who created the Jacquard loom. This loom allowed for complicated patterns to be quickly woven automatically into textiles. In Jacquard’s letter to the Prefect of Lyon he states that, “by means of this new machine the most beautiful fabrics may be woven, with designs varying from the simplest to the most complex, and all with the utmost precision.” This invention allowed for complicated crests and patterns to be made at a quicker speed, allowing for mass production of such gorgeous coverlets. Despite new advancements in technology, a significant amount of physical labor was still needed. Often factories relied on immigrants for this labor in factories. After the LeFevre family expanded upon the Liberty Woolen Mill, there was a significant increase in the amount of immigrants from Germany, France, England, Ireland, and other European countries in Ulster County. 

As demonstrated from the 1880’s United States census, there are a significant number of people on this census in Ulster County whose birthplace was in Germany. This influx in immigrants has had a significant impact on New Paltz today as so much of the population and culture around Ulster county has been based around people coming to America for a better life.

While addressing the possibility of utilization of immigrant workers it is important to consider the idea of maltreatment of these workers as well as the incorporation of slavery in the workforce. While these conversations can be uncomfortable and difficult, it is important to address the entirety of history to get a holistic and accurate perspective. While slavery was abolished in New York in 1827, looking back at the family history of the LeFevre’s reveals the family’s ethics and values that affect the local politics, economy, and factory. In the United States census for 1800, one of the first members of the LeFevre family to immigrate to America from France was on the list. 

The LeFevre family owned four slaves during this time period, much of the wealth that the family earned through farming and textiles during the 1800s was from the slaves in the family. It is essential to address that the industrialization of the Libertyville Woolen Mill and expansion and success of the Ulster County economy had foundations in slavery. Acknowledging the contributions made by enslaved individuals to the economy is of utmost importance, as it highlights the profound impact that their labor had on successful businesses such as the Libertyville Woolen Mill. Understanding this history and its lasting effects can help pave the way for a future marked by equity and justice.

Work Cited

Jacquard, Joseph Marie. Letter from Joseph Marie Jacquard to the Prefect of Lyon, March 16, 1804. Textile History, vol. 16, no. 2, 1985, pp. 135–142. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/27768154.

Lemire, Beverly. “Textile Dyeing Technology in the Late Nineteenth Century.” In The Industrial Revolution in America: Iron and Steel, Railroads, Steam Shipping, edited by Kevin Hillstrom and Laurie Collier Hillstrom, vol. 4, 349-366. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2002.

“United States Census, 1800,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XH5T-XC4 : accessed 25 April 2023), Phillip Le Feve, New Paltz, Ulster, New York, United States; citing p. 242, NARA microfilm publication M32, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 21; FHL microfilm 193,709.

“United States Census, 1880.” National Archives and Records Administration, 1880. Accessed April 24th, 2023.

Nailed to the roof-supporting rafters above the second floor of the Jean Hasbrouck House are various boards forming a surface known as a garret – a small unenclosed attic-like space reachable by a wooden ladder in the center of the second floor. Standing underneath the garret just north of the ladder and looking up, you may notice that one of the boards, slightly darker than the two next to it, is decorated with pieces of wallpaper.

Some of the wallpaper has peeled off, but a large strip remains in the central area of the wooden plank, as well as a thin piece at the top edge and fragments on the bottom and middle. Browning from possible water damage has removed some of the color on the right side of the wallpapered board. Next to the browning there are areas of a cream paper, which seems to have been layered on top of the orange wallpaper, possibly as a border or as a later addition. Looking closely at this paper, there is a subtle glimpse of a minimalistic vine pattern. On the areas of the orange wallpaper that surround this cream paper, there are lines of white where the orange color may have been stripped when the cream paper was removed.

There are two colors used in the pattern of the wallpaper, which was probably printed on white paper – a muted orange background with foliate details, and dark brown dotting outlining the lighter elements. The pattern consists of a scrollwork motif of overlapping curves, some of which terminate in curved points. It is vaguely floral but very stylized. From the remnants of wallpaper that are visible, it is hard to see how and where exactly the pattern repeats.  

Provenance

The design on the orange wallpaper suggests that it was machine-printed using a cylindrical stamp to create its scrolling style and thin-bodied color. This means that the wallpaper is older than 1840, when steam-powered wallpaper printing machines were developed and popularized in the United States (Frangiamore 7). The scrollwork pattern of the wallpaper was also in fashion during the mid-19^th century (Frangiamore 27).  

The wooden board upon which the wallpaper is affixed has remained in its current location since around 1851, when a series of “mid-century alterations” added a room on the second floor and extended the garret above it, using the wallpapered board (Crawford & Stearns 1.31). Many of the wood planks used in the extension of the garret date to 1786, some of which have been identified as doors previously used in other areas of the house (Crawford & Stearns 2.99). However, the wallpapered board is never specifically dated in the Historic Structure Report. Presumably, the wallpaper had been on the board prior to its use as a floor plank for the garret, since none of the boards around it have wallpaper remnants on them. Also, there is no mention of wallpaper used within the Hasbrouck house, only plaster and paint on the walls of each room. 

Object Narrative

The board may have been in the house prior to its use as a floor plank for the garret, but who lived in the house in the early 19^th century is unsure. In 1822, the property was inherited by Levi Hasbrouck, who also owned many other properties in the area and had the highest tax assessment in the town (Crawford & Stearns 1.54). He did not live in the house at the time, but it is unknown whether the property remained vacant or if laborers were boarded in the house. 

Between 1849 and 1862, tenant Samuel D.B. Stokes, who previously lived in Butterville on a different property owned by Levi Hasbrouck, rented the Hasbrouck house on Huguenot Street. He managed the surrounding 230-acre farm of livestock (horses, cows, oxen, sheep, and swine) and crops (wheat, rye, corn, oats, potatoes, buckwheat, peas, and beans). According to the 1850 Agricultural Production Schedule, the farm was valued at $11,350, making it “one of the largest and most productive farms in town” (Crawford & Stearns 1.31).  

Stokes hired 2 laborers as well as his own nephew to live on the property and help with the work (Crawford & Stearns 1.55). Besides these men, Rachel Stokes, his wife, and their 5 children also lived in the Hasbrouck house. The rooms on the second floor were most likely built so that the house could accommodate the large family and the hired laborers. The garret was used for storage above the second floor, with a seemingly random wallpapered board laid down as a floor plank in its construction. 

It is possible that the wallpapered board arrived at the house with the Stokes family because of the lack of wallpaper anywhere else in the house. Butterville, their original residence, is only an hour’s walk westward from Huguenot Street, where the Hasbrouck house is located, so transporting their possessions would not require a long trip. But why would they have carried over a piece of wood, specifically one covered in wallpaper?  

Objects are generally kept for either practical use, aesthetic value, or sentimentality, or more than one of these reasons. This board seems to fulfill all three. My guess is that it had previously been a fireboard at the Butterville residence, used to cover a fireplace opening during the warmer seasons to prevent anything coming in the house through the chimney. It may have been decorated with wallpaper to match the house, as was common during the 19^th century (Frangiamore 41). Bringing the fireboard to the new house at Huguenot Street carried over memories as well as serving a useful purpose. Along the solid-color painted walls of the Hasbrouck house, the decorated fireboard may have seemed out of fashion, and been pushed away into the second floor, then later mistaken for an old plank and used in the construction of the garret, where it survives to this day.

The houses on Huguenot Street symbolize what many consider to be the beginning of New Paltz history: the 17^th century French settlement by the 12 original patentees. But many of the houses have been transformed over time, with added levels, rooms, decorations, furnishings, and more. Each development embodies a story of the time, the people, and the place, all connected through the last few hundred years. Only by looking closely at the objects that remain can we begin to uncover these layered histories. 

Works Cited

Crawford & Stearns Architects and Preservation Planners, and Neil Larson & Associates. Historic Structure Report: The Jean Hasbrouck House. 2002.  

Frangiamore, Catherine L. “Wallpapers in Historic Preservation.” National Park Service Office of Archeology and Historic Preservation, 1977, http://npshistory.com/publications/preservation/wallpapers.pdf 

Short Assignment 5

I purchased this shirt recently from Depop. Depop is a clothing resale application that I frequent. The idea is that you can buy and sell pieces, and buyers are able to ask to lower the price by writing a counter-offer. I thought this shirt was a great deal because this person was selling this vintage odd future shirt for only seven dollars! This is a piece I have wanted in my clothing collection for a long time. Though shirts like these are not very rare, the price is never this low. I suppose the seller just wanted to get rid of it. Now I am the happy new owner to a piece that means a lot to me and my generation of Odd Future/2010’s hip hop fans. I also know it will appreciate in time, and I would never be able to make a purchase like this in ten or twenty years. 

Odd Future is the name of a music group started by Tyler, The Creator, which is no longer together. Since they released their first mixtape, Odd Future began releasing merch. They started the clothing brand GOLF WANG in 2010. The hip hop group’s full name was Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All, and GOLF WANG is an anagram for WOLFGANG. Odd Future was always more than a hip hop group, and GOLF WANG was always more than music merch. Their songs were on the cutting edge, spitting grotesque rap verses, often using obscenities  which some people would find upsetting. However, a closer read reveals insightful social commentary on the black gay experience in America. Their music was accompanied by videos of friends messing around, doing teenage shenanigans, pranks, improv skits, skateboarding, even eating cockroaches. 

I will group the components of this shirt into three categories: Design, production, and distribution. 

DESIGN

The shirt itself seems like a simple striped shirt logo tee, but it means so much more within fashion, music, and culture. The context is important, because Tyler, the Creator, himself is the main designer of the clothing. Not all musicians personally design their clothing, pick out the fabric and the colors, or even care as deeply as Tyler has done from the beginning with GOLF WANG. Their status in pop culture is just as much an element of the design, and ability to sell the item as the visual appeal of the shirt. The members of Odd Future exude the stylish, cool, misfit energy which heavily influenced the trajectory of fashion in the 2010’s. In a recent interview Tyler, the Creator says, “I remember being 17 and I was the outlier… everyone was like what the f**** are you wearing? And then a few years later people were doing it too and saying n**** you know that’s cause of you!” (Frugal Aesthetic). 

Post-ODD FUTURE there was a palpable shift in what young people wore. Preppy, fitted clothes in subtle colors were replaced with bright-colored baggy streetwear. Wearing clothing against the norm on purpose actually turned into the norm. The clothing brand continued to grow and evolve ahead of the fashion brands that attempted to emulate uniqueness. The idea of making noise against the mainstream in order to push your own voice remained synonymous with ODD FUTURE. The shirts which simply say ODD FUTURE, like this one, are not necessarily cutting edge design wise; however it directly spells out the wearer’s affiliations with the brand’s purpose and history. 

I wanted this shirt specifically because they do not make ones like this anymore. Tyler, the Creator has since handed the company off to another ODD FUTURE member, Jasper, who then gave all creative rights to Zumiez. True ODD FUTURE is no longer being created.

A few examples of Tyler, The creator’s eclectic style over the years.

PRODUCTION

Now that the and history conceptual essence of ODD FUTURE has been established, I will dissect the physical attributes of my new shirt. After doing some research on striped clothing, it is most likely that the stripes were from separately dyed threads that were then woven to create a pattern next to each other. Some shirts have stripes which are created with dye after making the shirt, but with the quality of this shirt and the multicolored variation, the former is more probable. The tag says not to iron the graphic, however the “ODD FUTURE” text seems to be stitched directly to the shirt. Perhaps this warning only applies to garments which have decal prints on them.

The tag reveals that the shirt was made in China. I have tried to research exactly where the clothing is being created, but since this is an old piece I cannot track the exact whereabouts of production at the time. The people who did the stitching and embroidery on this shirt did a fantastic job, whoever they may be. Overall, the quality is excellent and you can tell that it is not an ultra-fast fashion garment. It is 100% cotton. There are a few small holes in the neckline from the previous owner. I do not mind about these small defects.

DISTRIBUTION

Finally, the way I personally received this item of clothing was through the app Depop. The seller was @qweengisselle or Giselle’s Closet. Depop is a really convenient way for people to buy and resell clothes, and in this case you can see that this seller is also interested in simply trading clothes. I received my package very quickly, you can see on their page it reads that their sales are often shipped in 3 days, which is even faster than some retail companies.

The package was shipped within the United States through USPS. I must mention the time spent to package and ship the item from Giselle, the hard work of the people at the post office, as well as the post office delivery workers for bringing it to my doorstep.

For the analog experience, I decided to take photographs using a film camera. This option stood out to me over the others listed because it is an activity I rarely partake in; I often snap pictures via my phone. I have this cheap, waterproof polaroid camera that I use when engaging in wet outdoor activities so I can capture moments without ruining my expensive, non-waterproof phone. 

So, on Thursday evening I dug through my “random things” drawer and located my camera in the mess…just to discover it was out of batteries. I frustratedly turned my room upside down searching for replacement batteries and contemplated choosing another option for my analog experience. After what felt like an hour but in reality was only ten minutes, I found one battery which, of course, was in the same “random things” drawer all along. 

I replaced the battery, grabbed my camera, and headed to the dining hall for dinner. I began my experience by taking pictures of sights that interested me. I noticed the beautiful sunset over the mountains, and took my first picture:

Seeing this picture now, I almost enjoy how terrible of a picture it is. My 10th grade photography teacher would for sure be cringing at it, but I like how my phone’s option of choosing the sunset as the focal point isn’t there. It makes the experience feel even more vintage. 

I started to look at what I absent-mindedly walk past each day with incredible intention. I noticed myself walking slower, bending down to see from different perspectives, and I felt all my senses heightening. It felt like I was living in that saying “stop and smell the roses”, especially when I took pictures of flowers: 

The more I looked around me, the more I appreciated how beautiful New Paltz is, and how lucky I am to be here. 

I then started to take pictures of obscure things I noticed. For instance, I work at the Psychological Counseling Center and I walk past this dumpster each day when I walk in and out of work. This time, I noticed this sign on it that I really did not understand. I thought I’d take a picture of it for shits and giggles:

I then noticed a sign that read “HIGH VOLTAGE”. What was ironic about it is how a picnic table bench was placed directly in front of it, and all of this was right next to the dumpster with the concerning sign. I then start to wonder, how safe is it to be sitting at this picnic table?

Some other views I saw include: 

A monster-looking figure drawn into the bus stop.

An “F” spray painted on a tree. 

A tree resembling the apple tree in The Wizard of Oz. It looked like it wanted to give me a hug with its many arms (branches).

Garbage on the grass next to a garbage can. Why hasn’t anyone picked it up and threw it out yet? Then again, I didn’t pick it up and throw it out either. 

I arrived at the dining hall, where I met my friends for dinner. I talked to them about my assignment where I would take pictures using my camera. When we finished eating and walked back to our dorms, I took random pictures of our usual antics along the way:

My friends pretending to have a  sumo wrestler match. 

My friends skipping away. 

I then gave  the camera to my friends to use to take pictures with:

Taking pictures became a game, and it was so fun to play. We were all laughing as we ran around taking pictures of each other. There truly is a huge difference in taking pictures with your phone, and taking pictures with a film camera. If I had used my phone instead of the camera to take a picture, I don’t believe that we would be so excited about the experience. Taking pictures with our phones has become so normalized and is not as fun an experience to use it to take a picture with.

Everyone wanted a turn at using the camera, and I was happy to have included them in my experience. It reminded me of how whenever I see my little cousins, they always want to use my phone to take pictures. Specifically to use snapchat to take pictures. They love using those crazy filters that alter your facial features, or make you look like a dog. My friends really resembled my little cousins in their eagerness to use the camera.

After I uploaded the pictures to my laptop, I noticed the date on the bottom right hand corner reading “10/13/2022”. I thought this was awesome. The camera was unaware of what day it was! I sent the pictures to my friends right away, and they all loved them and saved them to their camera rolls. I know my next post on instagram will for sure include some of these photos. 

This assignment really put into perspective how much more present I am when I am using a camera to take photos instead of my phone. I especially enjoyed taking pictures of my surroundings as I walked to the dining hall. I also now have a new fun memory with my friends and can look back on the day we ran around looking stupid, laughing and taking pictures along the way.

Works Cited

“Fighting Trees.” Oz Wiki, https://oz.fandom.com/wiki/Fighting_Trees.