Work Ethic

I began this project by constructing a cardboard box in the shape of a traditional cinderblock. I arranged for the empty box to be shipped via the United States Postal Service to every city where I have held regular employment. In each city, a family member or friend received the box, occasionally photographed it in an interesting environment and then mailed it on to the next location. The box left Asheville on June 12th, 2017 and traveled to Nashville, TN, Knoxville, TN, Summertown, TN, Murfreesboro, TN, Baltimore, MD, Johnson City, TN and Charleston, SC before it arrived back in Asheville on August 12th, 2017.

After my cardboard box arrived back home, I proceeded to fill the empty box with concrete, effectively creating my own home-made cinderblock. After the concrete cured, I methodically opened up the original box in order to reveal its new concrete core. The original cinderblock-shaped cardboard box traveled to 8 cities in the United States and has now taken on a new life, an emerging mass from a former exterior. The overall display includes the cast concrete block, the dissected cardboard box, the top of the box with address labels and several photographs documenting its journey.

*Special thanks to Richard Martin, Michelle Casini, Sarah Martin, Casey Strength, Sebastian Martorana, Hugh Swingle and Charles Ailstock.