how it started
this art project started when i found a few image archiving blogs on tumblr that posted old photos from
flickr (webdiggerxxx being my favorite image archival blog). i never heard of flickr really, or used it
growing up, so i started looking for photos myself on there, and decided to make my own archiving blog!
i have been upcycling clothes for around 3 years consistently now, with my main focus being using scrap
fabric to upcycle pre existing clothing and accessories to be more interesting. during last winter, a
friend of mine talked to me about sublimation printing, and asked if i knew anything about it. i had
seen some artists online using sublimation to create cool “printed” clothes, but didn’t know much about
it other than that. after learning more about it, i knew pretty instantly that i wanted to combine my
love for archiving images with my love for clothes. i wanted to make sure the main goal of my sublimated
clothing was to be archiving images, which means keeping the source information with it. This was a bit
challenging to figure out how to do with physical clothes, but i settled on turning the flickr image url
into a qr code to then sublimate onto fabric!!
i feel like i have finally found my own niche with my
clothing, and i am so happy that i am able to combine two of my passions, and share my love for
archiving images, and how important source information is.
inspiration for this project
since i was young, i have been obsessed with photos, and looking at old photos from my childhood once i
was a teen. i haven't really ever had the best memory, and photos have always been a way to connect to
my past, and also have an intimate view into other peoples worlds. my dad is a photographer, and took
amazing film photos of my brother and i growing up, as well as lots of camcorder footage. throughout the
years in high school and college, i started using old camcorder footage for my art projects, and
scanning old childhood photos, some to do art with, and some to just keep. this sparked my love for
archiving images, as i wanted a way to preserve photos from my childhood, and make sure they all have a
safe space to rest.
my goal with my image archival clothing and tumblr blog is just that: to create a
space for photos i find to rest and be admired by others. i want to share my passion for image archiving
& source information, as well as inspiring others to think more deeply about source information, and
where the fuck images, items, and general things come from. its a chance to have a deeper and slower
connection in this world that frankly moves too fast for me, and it seems most people.
i also have always loved more "amateur" photography, where the person takes photos of their daily life,
room, friends, travels, etc. versus professional photography. it just feels so much more intimate, and i
really get a sense of someones life that way. i have always loved the ability images have to allow me to
get a small glimpse into someones life, and learn about what they spend their time doing.
since starting this project, i have started taking digital photos on my nikon coolpix s4000 that i got
in middle school, and uploading them to flickr. you can check out my images on flickr at https://www.flickr.com/people/200233316@N08/