Inventory
2017-2024
In the installation piece Inventory, images of collected animal and plant remains are mixed with details of an aging body. Hung together they document the tangible aspects of one’s life. Considered further, they represent the process of appraising life’s experiences.
Inventory includes over 1000 photographs printed on transparency film cut to the dimensions of toe tags (~3x5 inches). They hang from the ceiling with black thread that is attached to foam strips with entomology pins. The newest specimens are printed on handmade, upcycled paper that is infused with wax.
The piece varies in size and shape as the installation is designed for each individual space. From its first appearance on the walls of the Tweed Museum in 2017, it has been hung in 6 different galleries, including a museum stage, windows with views from the outside and in the subtle shape of water ways in the region.
The size of Inventory varies based on the number of tags included and the shape and size of the hanging mechanism, but tends to be 10 to 30 feet long and about 6-10 feet wide. It hangs 2-8 feet from the floor. When hung from the ceiling, the tags are attached to suspended foam strips. In recent exhibits, the foam was cut to the shape of a nearby body of water - the Chippewa River in Eau Claire, Lake Itasca in Bemidji and Lake Nebagamon in Superior.