Kaitlyn Jo
Smith

Remains, 2023

From ceramic scrapers and color samples, to death benefit certificates and union pledge cards, Remains archives the role of both the producer and consumer in regards to functional pottery at the turn of the millennium by cataloging my collection of American Standard artifacts. This factory employed my father (and many of his brothers) until its closure in 2007. Since 2019 I have been documenting what remains of this space by making photographs, collecting stories and unearthing physical relics in an attempt to archive the remnants of my family's industrial past. The objects included in Remains have been culled from the abandoned plant, my parents' attic and purchased online. Through the deliberate act of documentation, I am ensuring that my community's connection to this now derelict space is not forgotten.