Karin Dahl

Untitled (Fragment from 70 lb Robe)

2021

Medium: Silk organza, cotton muslin, and post-consumer clothing from Goodwill Industries (graphic t-shirts, baby onesies, worn-through Levi’s, socks, cut-off jean shorts, yoga pants, bike racing uniform, leotard, kids floral sundress, leggings, business casual button-down shirts, blouses, so many cotton/poly t-shirts, and more)

Dimensions: 92 x 40 in.

Price: $2300.0

Description: Untitled (Fragment from 70 lb. Robe) is a reconfigured component of a larger 70-pound robe-like garment, originally part of the robe’s oversized train. The 70-pound robe itself grew from a 2018 archaeological research project “Unpacking the Bale,” wherein Dahl excavated a 1,000 lb. bale of post-consumer clothing from the multinational charitable resale outlet, Goodwill Industries. Grounded in traditional archaeological methodologies while engaging the material artistically, this project aimed to dynamically connect people to the ongoing challenges and intimate experiences of material waste, as 70 lbs. is roughly the amount of annual textile waste per person in the United States. Untitled (Fragment from 70 lb. Robe) continues to iterate and expand on themes of textile waste and creative reuse, as Dahl has repurposed and reimagined the garment as a standalone textile installation.