The Loose-Leaf Papers — Jordan Delzell

The Loose-Leaf Papers: Mergings of Nature and Industry in Vicksburg, Michigan

2020—ongoing

Paper litter, paper manufactured locally at the Lee Paper Mill, loose-leaf notebook paper, leaves, tree logs, rainwater, dishwater, shower water, recycled jars, found objects. All items (with the exception of most pictured books) were foraged, collected and encountered in Michigan 10/5/20-11/14/20

The Loose-Leaf Papers began while an Artist in Residence at Prairie Ronde, a residency program that offers access to a former paper mill and surrounding acreage to use as inspiration.

While an artist in residence at Prairie Ronde I was interested in continuing my practice of site-specific paper-making in the context of Vicksburg, a former paper-industry hub. Other key interests were to use my practice to initiate time spent with nature and investigate the use of photography as a tool for presenting my artistic process as both research and art.

I collected littered paper and fallen leaves. I loved studying these items that often co-inhabit the ground together (both discarded, though for different reasons). I recycled the paper litter along with paper manufactured at the former Lee Company Paper Mill by hand, creating new paper. This paper was then used to cast the collected leaves. I continued material exploration and transformed the leaves (once dried) into paper pulp, which was again used to make leaves. While looking for more site-specific material I found used loose-leaf notebooks in the abandoned apartment atop my studio space. The loose-leaf paper was recycled into alternative versions of loose-leaf paper, leaves and trees and was also combined with dried leaves to make a pulp of co-mingled "loose leaves". I photographed my environment and objects within that related to my studies of natural and manufactured worlds. After letting the paper and leaf vat sit for a few days, an oil film unexpectedly developed which was used to marble some of the papers and leaves that had been created.

The process-oriented material research continued until all leaves in Vicksburg had fallen and dried, making them too stiff to cast in paper successfully. Throughout the residency period I installed my process in the window of my studio space, displaying the lifecycle of leaves to paper and back again. The residency culminated with a final curated installation of all research.

I consider this project a form of ongoing Artistic Research exploring the reproduction of ecological and industrial products and the thoughts, memories and synchronicities that these reproductions provoke. Due to Covid-19 collaboration and interaction with the local community was limited. I am now looking for collaborators to contribute to this research, online. If you are interested in collaborating, please review the visual documentation and respond to the “Participatory Research” prompts at the bottom of the page.

Participatory Research Survey

Take a moment and reflect on the above images, then answer the questions below. All submitted information will be publicly visible to others via a spreadsheet on Google drive (except when noted otherwise).

What are some of your feelings, thoughts and emotions upon studying the above images?

What were your initial reactions? Did you have any memories? Does seeing the above images remind you of anything in particular?

How would you define the word "leaf?

How would you define the word "paper"?

What is your relationship to paper manufacturing?

For example, have you ever made paper yourself? Do you live in proximity to a paper mill, or know someone who has worked at a paper mill? Please share any information that comes to mind.

What is your relationship to trees and/or leaves?

For example, do you interact with trees often? What activities do you do in or around them? Please share any information that comes to mind.

How are leaves/trees similar to books/paper? How are they different?

Can leaves be loose? Who or what holds/captures them?

Can leaves lose? Who or what would dominate over them?

Can leaves be lost? Who or what would lose them? How would they be found?

Can leaves leave? Where would they go? What/who causes their relocation or disappearance?

Do you think leaves are valued and appreciated by most people? What activities are done with leaves, and how do those demonstrate their value? (Raking, leaf-blowing, jumping, burning…)

Since some of the leaves here are made of paper and kept in a controlled environment they will decompose at a slower rate, keeping their shape, form and color. What benefits and downfalls are there to slow decomposition? What benefits do autumn leaves serve after autumn has passed?

What items around you are manufactured recreations of natural things? How are these items comforting? How are they discomforting?

How would you describe your relationship to Vicksburg, Michigan and any of the specific spaces shown in the photographs?

For example, do you live there? What feelings come to mind when reflecting on living there? What do you know about the spaces and items featured in the photographs?

Did you see this installation (in any of it's variations) in person?

Yes

No

Not sure

Can I contact you via email to discuss your findings?

Yes (If yes, please make sure to include your email in the email field below)

No

Email (This will not be publicly visible)

Thank you so much for participating in the search! Is there anything else that you would like to share? Do you have any questions for me?

Feel free to submit questions to potentially be added to this survey.

Name

Optional, but encouraged if you would like to be credited for the information that you share here.

First Name

Last Name