"Inclusion", 2015 Installed

Here are the fantastic installation shots from the Northern Illinois University "Recycle/Re-Seen" Special Topics Class / Barbara Hashimoto Collaboration project "Inclusion", 2015. 

 

Some of our awesome team cranking out some of first envelopes. Pictured are also two of the three vats currently in use. One of the most fun and spontaneous aspects of the process is the phrases that we come across. Here are some examples. 

The nature of the process allows the pulp and inclusions (the whole strands of junk mail) to freely flow until the water drains through the screen. As a result we sometimes get paper that will fold on itself. The finished sheet will press the folds.

Freshly pressed envelopes hanging to dry. Through the pellons you can see the paper. 

Each "stack" has five envelopes.

Trials

Recycled Re-seen class working through the process of finalizing decisions for the collaborative project developed in response to Barbara Hashimoto's Junk Mail Experiment.  

An estimated 135 envelopes have been pulled up to date (Friday, October 9th). The current goal in mind is to produce 500 envelopes as a class total. Thus far 6 lbs of junk mail have been processed! 

Collaboration Process

Northern Illinois University, Special Topics Class "Recycled, Re-Seen" was granted the opportunity to collaborate with Barbara Hashimoto on the final stages of her "Junk Mail Experiment." The loose parameters of this collaboration involve the use of the same shredded junk mail (now consisting of 90 cubic feet) without adding to the materials.  Put simply, the existing mail must be transformed in some way. 

Upon brainstorming ideas, the University's "Recycled, Re-Seen" class decided to carefully consider the thoughts going into the initial project and re-incorporated the aspect of mailing. This manifested in the manufacturing of business envelopes from the piles of shredded junk mail.  Northern Illinois University's Fiber Department is known for it's impressive paper making facilities. The class put the book and paper making facility to use, pulling hand-crafted paper envelopes and papers from the destroyed junk mail. 

When deciding on this direction there were two options, to shape paper to the size of envelopes or to cut out envelopes from pulled papers.  The second option left the possibility to print the statistics of the junk mail project onto the envelopes as take-aways for the museum.  On the first trial for the collaboration project the class chose to pull the paper both ways and make comparisons.

A run-down of the process:

• Before embarking on the initial paper making process, we had to make molds in the shape of business envelopes.  This involved deconstructing business envelopes and tracing its shape onto foam sheets, using an x-acto knife to cut out the shape. 
• When making the paper, first, the shredded junk mail is cut down until it is roughly an inch in length. 
•  Next, the freshly cut junk mail is soaked in water.
•  The "Hollander Beater" is used to create paper pulp.  The objective of using the beater is to create longer, hydrated, fibrillated fibers - increasing the fiber's surface area.  This process includes filling the Hollander Beater with water, adding the pre-soaked junk mail and running the cycle for 15-20 min.
• After beating the junk mail into paper pulp, the pulp is collected and the Hollander Beater is emptied. Vats are set up, filled three-fourths with water, adding two and a half quarts of paper pulp per vat.
• When filling up vats, paper pulling stations are set up alongside them.  The stations consist of 24"x18" flat wooden boards, two wet sheets of felt and a soaked pelon of the same measurement. At this time, the mold and deckle (paper making tools) are placed near the station, ready for use. 
• The vat is "charged" by stirring the paper pulp within the water to bring the pulp closer to the surface in order to be pulled evenly-distributed with ease. 
• The motions that take place next are what "paper pulling" is composed of: the deckle is placed onto the mold (and envelope mold), and held firmly together by squeezing the sides. The deckle and mold are dipped edge-first into the pulp, then held level for a moment allowing air-bubbles to escape, before being lifted smoothly out of the water in a single, smooth action. 
•  The paper is pulled, that is to say a dilute suspension of pulp fibers is drained through the  fiberglass screen of the deckle.  
• The mold (including the envelope mold) is lifted from the deckle. The paper pulling process is made complete when couching the paper onto the wet pelon.  This is the act of pulling the wet sheet off the fiberglass screen of the deckle, leaving behind the wet paper to be sandwiched between pelons. 
• The paper making process is repeated, adding layers of pulled paper and pelons, this is called making a post.
• The post of paper is transported to the paper press where it is compressed.  The press squeezes water from the surface while flattening the paper evenly.  The paper is then hung to dry, sandwiched between pelons.
• The end result lays in pulling the dry paper from the pelon.