LOST OBJECTS v. 2 (INTRO)
By:
October 1, 2019
In Fall 2017, Project:Object published a series of true stories, here at HILOBROW, titled LOST OBJECTS. Its contributors were invited to reminisce about significant objects that they’d once possessed, but had since lost. Whether these things were misplaced, stolen, given away, destroyed, or accidentally tossed didn’t matter, at least not to us. We just wanted to know: Why can’t we forget about certain objects?
The contributors to that first LOST OBJECTS series — including such talents as Kate Bernheimer, Dan Piepenbring, Luc Sante, Nina Katchadourian, and Seth Mnookin — told beautiful stories, tragic and comical, witty and wise, about the flotsam and jetsam that they may have lost along the way, but had never truly abandoned. We couldn’t have been more pleased with the results of our call for submissions.
But there was another twist…
Normally, Project:Object stories are illustrated by a snapshot of the thing itself, taken in loco by the contributor. But this time around, we assigned the lost-object stories to such talented artists as Kate Bingaman-Burt (who also created the series logo, shown above), Glenn Jones, Oliver Munday, Alex Eben Meyer, and Rose Wong.
Some of these 25 great illustrations were naturalistic portraits of the object — which, of course, the illustrator had never actually laid eyes on. Others were editorial — communicating some theme intrinsic to the object’s story. Either way, the result was a gorgeous panoply of art.
Readers loved the LOST OBJECTS series, and we loved publishing it — which is why we’re now publishing a second installment: “We’re interested in hearing about an object that you’ve never forgotten, but which for whatever reason — theft, negligence, you name it — you no longer possess,” we wrote to 25 talented folks. Some of the contributors to LOST OBJECTS v. 2 we’ve worked with before; many we contacted out of the blue. The lineup is a truly impressive one (see below).
And there’s a new twist, this time…. We’ve invited a number of our multitalented contributors to both write and illustrate their stories.
We’re extremely pleased with how this experiment turned out. Whether it’s Theo Ellsworth and Berta Valló illustrating stories by Joe Yonan and Lydia Millet, or Ben Katchor and Debbie Millman illustrating their own stories, the results of our queries are literally spectacular. Beginning tomorrow, the LOST OBJECTS v. 2 series will roll out — with new stories appearing every few days through mid-December.
Here’s the LOST OBJECTS vol. 2 lineup:
Geoff Manaugh on MOROCCAN TRINKET (ill. Mariana Pita) | Joe Yonan on MACRAMÉ ART (ill. Theo Ellsworth) | Laura Lippman on LABYRINTH GAME (ill. Laura Didyk) | Ben Katchor on LUCITE CARRYING CASE | Neil LaBute on PICKLED OCTOPUS (ill. Disa Wallander) | Miranda Mellis on SEQUINED SCARF (ill. Adam Goldberg) | Chris Piascik on GENERAL HUSTLER BMX | Jenny Kroik on MISSING TOY PIECES | Anita Kunz on FLOWER NECKLACE | Debbie Millman on GLASS POODLE | Heather Kapplow on CERAMIC ARTWORK (ill. Matt Wuerker) | Lydia Millet on ROCKY HORROR NOVEL (ill. Berta Valló) | Ben Greenman on WARHOL CAN (ill. Clara Selina Bach) | Leah Hennessey on BATMAN RING (ill. Dean Haspiel) | Kathryn Davis on PRAYER CARD (ill. Dina Noto) | Mikita Brottman on PINK ELEPHANTS (ill. Sarah Williamson) | Nathaniel Rich on AUTOGRAPHED BASEBALL (ill. Ellen Rose) | Charles Glaubitz on TRACK SHOES | Seth on ENTERPRISE MODEL | Becky Stern on SKELETON SWEATER (ill. Monica Garwood) | Mark Dery on GRANDFATHER PHOTO (ill. Kelli Anderson) | Paola Antonelli on VINYL SKIRT (ill. Guillermo Meraz) | Sara Ryan on FINGER PUPPET (ill. Steve Lieber) | Alex Gerasev on KARMA PARKA | Margaret Wertheim on ECCENTRIC BOOK (ill. Armando Veve).
We’re very grateful to our contributors, many of whom have contributed their fees to the ACLU. — Josh Glenn and Rob Walker
FETISHES: INTRODUCTION | Josh Foer on DEATH MASK | Beth Lisick on MURDERED-OUT KFC BUCKET | Christina Couch on LEECH ACTION FIGURE | Kenneth Goldsmith on THEWLIS SOCK | Abby Rapoport on MAGNATILES | & 20 MORE.
FOSSILS: INTRODUCTION | Allegra Huston on SKATAWAY JACKET | Kevin Obsatz on HOMEMADE NUNCHUKS | Ian Bogost on DESKTOP TELEPHONE | Jeff Lewonczyk on CHA-CHA JACKET SCRAP | Kelly Horan on VOLVO KEY | & 20 MORE.
FLAIR: INTRODUCTION | Cliff Kuang on ROLEX DATEJUST | Ethan Zuckerman on LAPTOP STICKERS | Ann Shoket on LEATHER JACKET | Kembrew McLeod on KEMBREW MERCH | Paola Antonelli on MERMAID TEARS | & 20 MORE.
LOST OBJECTS (vol. 1): INTRODUCTION | Kate Bernheimer on MULLET WIG (ill. Amy Evans) | Dan Piepenbring on COLOGNE (ill. Josh Neufeld) | Doug Dorst on STRATOCASTER (ill. John Holbo) | Paul Lukas on VANILLA BEAN (ill. Allison Bamcat) | Mimi Lipson on DODGE DART (ill. Mister Reusch) | & 20 MORE.
ILLICIT OBJECTS: INTRODUCTION | Kio Stark on PEEPSHOW TOKEN | Sari Wilson on TOMBSTONE PARTS | Annalee Newitz on CAR-BOMB REMNANT | Tito Bottitta on MOONINITE DEVICE | Eric Bennett on DIRTY MAGAZINE | & 20 MORE.
TALISMANIC OBJECTS: INTRODUCTION | Veda Hille on CROCHET SHEEP | Gary Panter on DINOSAUR BONES | Jami Attenberg on SELENITE CRYSTAL | Annie Nocenti on MINIATURE DICE | Wayne Curtis on CLOCK WINDING KEY | & 20 MORE.
POLITICAL OBJECTS: INTRODUCTION | Luc Sante on CAMPAIGN PAMPHLETS | Lydia Millet on PVC POLAR BEAR | Ben Greenman on MATCHBOX CAR | Rob Baedeker on PRESIDENTS PLACEMAT | L.A. Kauffman on WHEATPASTE POSTER | & 20 MORE.
SIGNIFICANT OBJECTS at HILOBROW: PROJECT:OBJECT homepage | PROJECT:OBJECT newsletter | PROJECT:OBJECT objects (Threadless shop — all profits donated to the ACLU) | POLITICAL OBJECTS series (1Q2017) | TALISMANIC OBJECTS series (2Q2017) | ILLICIT OBJECTS series (3Q2017) | LOST OBJECTS vol. 1 series (4Q2017) | FLAIR series (2Q2018) | FOSSIL series (4Q2018) | FETISHES series (2Q2019) | LOST OBJECTS vol. 2 series (4Q2019) | MOVIE OBJECTS series (2Q2020). ALSO SEE: SIGNIFICANT OBJECTS website | SIGNIFICANT OBJECTS collection, ed. Rob Walker and Josh Glenn (Fantagraphics, 2012) | TAKING THINGS SERIOUSLY, ed. Josh Glenn (Princeton Architectural Press, 2007) | TAKING THINGS SERIOUSLY excerpts.
