Prototypes – Portable sweaty armpit T-shirt dryer

Description

Inspired by the in-flight catalog SkyMall, long known for its unusual and absurd products, my series Prototypes explores consumerism through the invention, design, and full-scale construction of imagined devices and gadgets. Like SkyMallitems, the works invite viewers to fantasize about a better life—one made easier, and therefore more enjoyable—through the ownership of one (or more) of these inventions.

Each prototype begins with a concept, followed by a process of planning, building, and ultimately photographing the object. Many of the ideas stem from things I wish existed to simplify my own daily life. Yet, much like the promises of SkyMall, the fantasy often proves more satisfying than the actual object itself.

Photography plays a central role in sustaining this illusion. Within the image, the prototypes appear full of potential and promise, allowing the audience to imagine themselves using the invention to improve their quality of life.

Prototypes has been featured in WIRED and Designboom.