repair work
A BUTCHER'S #64
A BUTCHER’S hook/look (Cockney rhyming slang)
old school
The ‘fridge guy’ downstairs from us on Ludlow St used to do work for the landlord’s apartments and was known for repairing freon leaks with chewing gum.
When our fridge recently died, I tried to find out if someone wanted to salvage it for parts. No luck - the appliance shop refused to touch it. They told me it's not like the old days - if they take it, even advise me, or pass it along and something goes wrong, they could be held liable. A lawsuit isn't worth it.
in the wild
Be stitch prepared - this needle and thread, made from the thorn of a century agave plant, is all in one, all natural and fully functional. The thread is already attached as it pulls out with the thorn (you can see how HERE - no knife, teeth) - impressive!
tube lessons
I really don’t like throwing stuff out. Back in the early ‘10s I read about and went to a repair café, where you could take anything broken and they would figure out if it was possible to fix and whether it could be done in shop or sent out.
DIY - the arrival and expansion of YouTube has been fantastic. Looking for and finding instructional videos posted by individuals has meant that I have been able to take apart and repair my camera and the washing machine in our place (ordered a $10 part and fixed it)- very rewarding.
‘Help build a culture of care & repair, slow down the consumption cycle, and give your stuff new life. Repair Cafes are free community events where volunteer experts help visitors fix broken household items. In cities all around the world.’ Repair Café
repair center
Getting yourself fixed up and sorted out on 14th St: what’s on offer? Nails, wax, skin care day spa, cleaners, tailoring, repair… and you’re ready to go!
repaired & repurposed
In old Japan a bowl was an important personal item, it had a practical value to you - so if it was broken, you’d repair it. Same with a tea set, it had an intrinsic value and instead tossing a broken piece, it would be repaired with gold seams. The traditional technique known as kintsugi, which translates as ‘golden joinery’, often makes a piece more desirable.
The essential element of this conceptual approach to repair is that a break, instead of being disguised, is highlighted and becomes a feature of the piece - that is part of its life, past and present.
spring design&art
We included this set of spoons by Gésine Hackenberg - a German artist and jeweler based in Amsterdam - in our 2008 exhibition THE REVOLUTION IS SET at spring. Inspired by the Japanese tradition of repairing broken ceramics, Gésine took a broken plate, repaired it with silver wire and water-cut four spoons from it - smooth edged and sophisticated.
fill in
There's an ongoing installation piece at the local everything-made-in-China shop on Ludlow Street - replacing worn tiles with random leftover ones, creating an unpredictable patchwork. It looks like more replacements are needed - I should drop back in to see how it has evolved.
classy
Hardly noticeable at first glance - when buildings need repair, restoration or work done in Rome, they hide the work behind a giant scrim printed with an image of the building behind.
(it’s the one on the right, obviously)
Yet another enjoyable edition!
Thanks, Gracias et Grazie!
That needle and thread, courtesy of Mother Nature is truly remarkable.
We have Repair Cafes here too. (In New Zealand). Wonderful ethos, great people and super 'feel-good' vibes when something swerves the landfill.
Thanks again SCB