Annotation 000 | Project Statement
0.1 Material Origin
0.2 System Formation
Material collected over a one year period through personal accumulation of junk mail. Initial intent focused on cancellation of subscriptions. Process resulted in increased intake rather than reduction. AARP identified as primary and most consistent source.
Language observed to function without direct resolution. Content reflects on life rather than answering a specific question. This condition informed the structure of the lab.
A lab format was established to prioritize process, repetition, and close observation. Focus remained on small scale interactions with material rather than large conclusions.
Methods included extraction, subtraction, containment, and reorganization of language. Outputs include a notebook for documentation, petri dishes for text arrangement, sealed bags for accumulation, and a calendar system measuring time lived and projected.
Observation indicates sustained attention to time, its passage, and its structure. System remains active.
Annotation 001 | Scientific Workstation
1.1 Active Dissection
Workstation includes dissecting dish used for all cutting processes. Words extracted from AARP material using X-acto knife.
Two LED lamps positioned to focus light directly onto work surface. Tools include tweezers, scissors, magnification device, calculator, and collection dishes.
Additional materials include vials containing words, AARP source material, business cards, a calendar, and lab notebook.
Environment suggests ongoing activity. Tools remain in place for continued use.
Annotation 002 | Lab Notebook
2.1 Self as Data
Notebook designed* to document both process and personal data. Daily Lab Notes include mood, activity level, sleep, diet, physical condition, and time spent on lab work.
Entries require selection or brief written response. Data is recorded consistently but not analyzed within the notebook.
Graph paper pages included for diagrams and additional notes.
Observation indicates that the subject and the researcher occupy the same role.
*I designed the notebook and bind it myself
Annotation 003 | Calendar
3.1 Days Lived
3.2 Days Left to Live
Calendar constructed using wooden blocks in two colors. Black blocks represent days lived. White blocks represent projected days remaining based on the lifespan of maternal grandmother.
Labels were intentionally reversed. White is labeled “days lived” and black is labeled “days left to live.” This creates a disruption in expected reading.
Daily interaction required. One block is either added or removed to reflect the passing of time. System does not stabilize. Current count recorded as Day 9,961 at the time of exhibit. Numbers on the left reflect daily current count.
Annotation 004 | Scientific Case
4.1 Subtraction Studies
Case contains tools, books, vials, alcohol, and wooden blocks used for the calendar system. Objects selected for their association with study and storage.
AARP magazine pages suspended beneath the case. Words removed from each page to reconstruct text through subtraction. Remaining language forms new narratives related to life and death.
Observation indicates that removal increases clarity in some instances. In others, meaning becomes incomplete but more open.
Annotation 005 | Lab Coat
5.1 Field Absence
Lab coat produced as part of overall lab identity. Logo embroidered onto surface. The X within the logo references the X-acto knife as the primary tool used in all material extraction.
Two coat positions designated. One for lab coat and one for field coat. Only lab coat is present.
Absence of field coat suggests ongoing data collection outside of the visible environment. Presence of coat without wearer reinforces this condition.
Annotation 006 | Petri Dishes
6.1 Contained Language
Petri dishes left open and used as containers for text. Each dish holds a poem constructed from AARP words.
Text arranged in accordion format and adhered from one side of the dish to the other. Dishes placed on a metal tray for display.
Observation suggests a shift from specimen to language object. Contents remain fixed but invite close reading.
Annotation 007 | Vials
7.1 Preserved Fragments
Glass vials filled with varying concentrations of alcohol. Each vial contains a single word extracted from AARP material.
Words reference biological elements such as blood and brain. No organic material present.
Alcohol preserves paper contents. Painted caps show signs of deterioration over time.
Result suggests uneven preservation across materials.
Annotation 008 | File Cabinet
8.1 Genetic Forecasting
File cabinet contains categorized documentation related to lab activity and personal data. Four drawers labeled as lab inventory, lab documents, confidential, and archives.
Folders include references to family members and administrative systems. Materials used to estimate lifespan through observed family patterns.
One document titled “Sex, It Is Never Too Late To Learn Something New” is included without modification.
Exterior surface contains Spanish word magnets referencing life and death. Visitors are allowed to rearrange language.
Sign above cabinet reads “no sneezing zone.” Statement functions as both instruction and interruption.
Annotation 009 | 389 Specimens
9.1 Two x Three inch Plastic Bags
Material collected over a one year period from AARP mailers. Words extracted manually using an X-acto knife and sorted into small groupings based on implied relationships to life and death. No fixed system was applied during sorting.
Each specimen was placed into a 2 x 3 inch plastic bag and sealed. A total of 389 bags were produced. Bags were pinned to the wall in a grid formation behind the scientist’s desk.
Next to the 2 × 3 inch plastics bags is an inventory list. The first list is organized by the order each specimen was found and the second list is organized by alphabetical order.
Observation shows a tension between order and excess. While the grid suggests control, the accumulation suggests volume without resolution. Language remains fragmented and inconclusive. Not all 2 × 3 inch plastic bags are shown on this report.
Annotation 010 | Materials and Afterlife
Materials sourced primarily from the American Science & Surplus store. Furniture obtained through Facebook Marketplace.
Objects selected based on availability and visual alignment with lab structure.
Scientific case remains in use outside of lab context. Currently functions as a jewelry case.
Observation indicates that objects persist beyond original system. Function shifts while material remains intact.