Monthly Statement:
July 2006
This month was a very busy one for me and consequently I was only able to obtain dust from one location. After a couple phone calls I was given permission to sweep for and gather dust bunnies from the Pima County Department of Environmental Quality. I was particularly interested in obtaining dust from the offices of the PCDEQ as one of their programs involves educating the public about fugitive dust - a common occurrence in the desert where massive amounts of particulate matter becomes airborne and seriously impacts local air qualities. In a non-desert region I suppose the cloud kicked up by a car driving down a country road would classify as fugitive dust. I was intrigued by the name "fugitive dust" and thought their must be some fugitive dust bunnies lurking in the midst of the Department of Environmental Quality. Beth and Mark from the PCDEQ were very helpful during my visit. Both were very interested in the project and each had spent some time prior to my visit scouting out locations around the offices. Apparently, there was quite a crop behind one of the photocopiers, but it was serviced the day before I arrived and the technician had vacuumed behind the machine before departing. I was still able to find some pesky dust bunnies behind the copiers, along floorboards and behind cabinets. I also came across little bits of shredded paper which provides evidence that the PCDEQ recycles it's office paper. I also picked up a bent pink paper clip. This fluffy dust has been apprehended - no longer fugitive - and is under lock and key. Perhaps I improved the quality of this department's environment or at least their linoleum floor is a little cleaner.  

Process: I plan to acquire dust in two ways. Initially, I will ask for permission to sweep a chosen site and document the process. If permission is not granted or if I find myself in a place that seems to be an interesting opportunity for gathering dust, I will then obtain my accumulate in a covert fashion. This means I will inconspicuously search for dust clumps on the spot and document the site, rather than the process.

I will be gathering dust from two different places a month as my contribution to the Accumulation Project. From each bag of dust I obtain I’ll manipulate the dust bunny into different shapes and make a series of photograms on cyanotype paper. As the dust bunny assumes this new pictorial form, it takes of the appearance of a cloud in a deep blue sky and subtly forms a connection between a nuisance remainder of human existence and the ephemeral behavior of the weather overhead. Each series of “clouds” will be placed into a book that I’ve assembled specifically for that place.

Contact: sekondsight@yahoo.com