DECIPHERING DESIGN: "Consuming Memories"

Recently, I visited one of the jewels of my neighborhood, Counterpoint (http://www.counterpointsd.com/). Counterpoint is a very chic wine and beer bar in Golden Hill. Their amazing "food for the people" menu has spectacular options for vegetarians and meat lovers. Usually, I order the pastrami but something told me to try something different. So I asked the waiter to surprise me. As I tasted the sandwich, I was suddenly thrown back into memories of my childhood with my late grandmother. What was this? Turns out, this sandwich is made of what I called as a child, "poor-mans food," bologna. The bologna sandwich plagued me growing up. We had it all the time due to its quantity & affordability. I remember hating bologna and wanting to scream "where's the turkey!!!" But at this time, the fried bologna sandwich was a pleasant surprise. Immediately, I knew that I wanted that feeling of nostalgia in the "Helter Shelter" project. I want to achieve that split second of happiness with this next piece.
My interest in reexamining my past has led me to crocheting and lacework. Crocheting, quilting, and lacework was a way for many women express their creativity and also provide for their family. Taught by my grandmother, I began crocheting at a very young age. Like the bologna, my patience as a child with crocheting eventually passed. So I am reteaching myself the skills that I once honed and combining it with furniture in someway. For "shelter" and upcoming work, I will be using techniques such as lacework and crochet with wire to develop a sense of nostalgia. Its amazing that a quick taste of the familiar assure you that your initial thoughts are worth investigating.

-ASH ROBINSON

The photographs below are works by Ruth Asawa.