Guest Curator: Nothing Is New

NisN

Story by NisN

Published on Jan 19, 2011 in Shop

Photo by christmasangel

NisN_bio.jpgAn obsessive collector of digital/online images and archives, Kelly uses her website, Nothing Is New, to delve into deep Internet lands, surfacing with visual treasures meant to prompt thought, creativity and action. In a dynamic example of how historic images may enliven new ideas, Kelly has opened an NisN shop, where she sells goods of her own design inspired by images on view at Nothing Is New. Her most recent project is a book — It Was All a Blast: Archive Road Trip — a collaboration with artist Jacob Ciocci, who writes poems in response to digital images Kelly curated from archives across the country (virtually). Today she sets a scene of ascetic bliss of a woodsman weaver.


You live in a one room cabin in the woods. It’s winter. You pile on blankets, boots, textiles of all kinds. You have one mug, one plate, one fork, one knife, one spoon. You listen to a transistor radio while weaving on a loom. You read books on weaving and spin yarn from the alpaca in the yard.

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1. Siddharta Diving sweater from Lone Mountain Phoenix Vintage 2. Nana’s Warmth Vintage Crochet Blanket from Amazing Grace Design Co. 3. Blue and yellow felted wool mittens from Wool Werks Org 4. raw huacaya alpaca fiber spin felt by angorarts 5. Vintage sunglasses from Soviet USSR from Smallvintage 6. Men’s suede and sherling mukluks from Story of Things.

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1. 1940s circular soca back crochet form Ian Drummond Vintage 2. set of vintage ribbon trim from kmichel 3. Lakers hat by The Cherubims 4. Vintage Georges Marciano Jeans from Time Tunnel 5. Back to Basics Triangle Earrings by Upper Metal Class 6. Walking Stick by bearpawrustics.

 

I.
The sun has risen. A fresh snow covers the ground and trees. It’s time to get dressed. Pull on your worn-in cow print jeans, throw on your Siddhartha sweater. Tug your Lakers hat down over your ears. Still warm from sleep, wrap your circular blanket around you, and add one more blanket for extra warmth. Secure the textiles around your waist with zig zag sewing trim as a makeshift belt. Standing in the open doorway, the sun blazes in and you slide on your sunglasses (made in the USSR). Slip on felt woolen mittens to warm your hands. Tiny triangle earrings sparkle. With your sturdy walking stick and soft-step suede boots you wander into the quiet woods. Give your alpaca Charley a pat and a carrot.

 

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1. Glossy Coral/Orange Large Mug by Oak Bluffs Cottage Pottery 2. Vintage Girl Scout Utensil Set from Treasure Darling 3. 1/4 Pound Blackberry Tea by layla 4. Multi-Colored Glossy White Confetti Bowl by Oak Bluffs Cottage Pottery 5. Hand-Embroidered Turkish Kilim Pillow Cover by sukan.

 

II.
Back from the walk, tucked cozy inside the cabin, you put the kettle on. It’s midmorning and you need a drink of blackberry tea. Pour the hot water in your orange ceramic mug. Place a slice of apple spice cake onto your confetti plate. With your mum’s old Girl Scout camping cutlery, dive into the sweet treat. Savor each bite. Propped against your favorite shag pillow, your breakfast tastes better while lounging.

 

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1. Handspun Working With Natural Fibers from MoreThanWool 2. Vintage Arvin Transistor Radio from JoieDeCleve 3. Warping All By Yourself from readingwell 4. Aran Sweaters Book from Pattern Peddler Annex 5. Small Cloud by Justin Durand.

 

III.
Work time. While you sip tea and peruse an old issue of Handspun, you consider knitting a cable jumper inspired by Aran Sweater. Full and inspired, you sit down at your Navajo style loom to weave, occasionally referencing your favorite book, Warping All By Yourself. Turn on the old transistor radio and sway to the classic rock station. Captain Beefheart song sings — “Zig Zag Wanderer.” Above the loom you gaze at a drawing hung on the wall. It is a drawing of a lone person, wrapped in textiles, just like you.

 

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