Work Inn Process
Abstract
Inspired by an interest in the broad realm of “repair,” this project has made its way from uncertain beginnings to a familiar, if at times estranged to me, place: The Saxtons River Inn, located in the heart of the Village of Saxtons River, Vermont. What ensued was a beautifully unpredictable swirl of new and revived relationships, uncovered stories, and opened eyes to the possibilities of new forms of community engagement in my hometown. While this project will continue beyond the point to which it is documented here, today this thesis takes shape in two main parts: a representative installation referencing the Inn itself and a reflection on how existing local relationships could be expanded upon to foster a living archive and repair collective, the Inn a hub from which sociomaterial networks rooted in care and circular exchange may continue to grow. Expressed primarily through film photography and silk screen, two processes analogous to the at times slow, layered pace of repair in a rural environment, the work is offered as an early entry to the newly proposed archive.