Untitled (Tape Dispenser)

2024

Tape dispenser, door handle, iced tea lid, gauze, 3D printed rollers, magnets, Swiffer wet pad lid, clip, various pieces of metal I found on the ground, cork

Many thanks to Emily Dormier for designing and printing the rollers!

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When I found this tape dispenser, I knew it wanted to be a book. The door handle – a gift from a friend – became a crank, rolling the gauze back onto its spool.

There are three interchangeable rollers for this piece. One prints

The other two are left and right halves intended to be printed side by side.

Because there is one more word on the left side than the right (a little extra hope), the two rollers realign with a different set of words each time, meaning the next set printed would say:

and so on and so forth. Many potential thoughts.

The outcome of this piece was unexpected but perhaps predictable. The rollers had too many pieces and would fall apart as I used them. The text came out unclear on paper, let alone gauze. Switching the rollers out was so time-consuming I wasn’t able to print all three and still have time for my critique. And when I went to tear the gauze with the teeth intended to perforate tape, it stretched and ripped messily. To which, I say:

Oh, how human of me.