The Temperature of Water
I sleep very little these days. Maybe it's something that happens as you age, but I find solace in the wee hours of the morning, cultivating the seeds of creativity. On one such morning, I found myself grabbing a glass of water from the faucet. As the water began to run, I instinctively placed my pinky finger under the water, gauging the temperature, trying to figure out just how cold it was on this January morning. I like drinking cold water, and as someone who grew up in the Midwest, I often don't need to put ice cubes in my water most of the year as the water reflects the temperature of the ground below. As I let the water run over my finger, I remembered the disconcerting memory of the hot water that would run from the faucet in Arizona, where I spent twelve years expanding my horizons. The water, warmer than body temperature, not quite boiling, was a true barometer of the real temperature of the earth, a planet that is on fire, a world where water is evaporating and becoming scarce, a world whose glaciers are melting.
The Temperature of Water is an ongoing examination and documentation of the state of our democracy, the relationship between governmental policies, the legal system, and capitalist markets, and its impact on its citizens. Consisting of delicate paper weavings made from selected articles of the Wall Street Journal, the project highlights the multifaceted approaches the current president has taken to disempower the average citizen while substantially increasing his and his family's wealth. The project launched on January 20, 2025, the first day of the second Trump administration, and consists of woven articles encompassing many of the atrocities of the past year, including the loss of life of U.S. citizens who stood up for the rights of others. To date, there are 215 woven articles with more added each month. Featured articles are visible on Instagram via @the_temperature_of_water, where a summary of each article can be found. Similar to the way we consume daily news through snippets, interpretations, and manipulation, the woven articles rely upon the viewer to read the accompanying summary, as only an occasional word or image is legible in the woven composition. As the project moves off the screen and into a lived experience, viewers are invited to document their own experiences and the impact of the current administration on paper that will be woven into future additions to the project as it moves from location to location. The personal narratives complement the journalist's role, both observing and documenting what is happening daily.
The Source
Using the Wall Street Journal as the main source of information, stories are selected, summarized, cut into strips and woven into cloth.
Entry #1
January 20, 2025
Today's composition is woven from "North Korean Diary Shows Ukraine Horror," written by Dasl Yoon Jane & Lytvynenko, 1.13.24, A18 from the Wall Street Journal.
North Korea has sent over 12,000 soldiers to aid Russia in its fight with Ukraine. A diary of a North Korean soldier documents the commitment to the cause no matter the outcome. Over 4,000 North Korean soldiers have died, according to President Zelensky. U.S. officials say that more than 1,000 North Koreans died in the last week of December. Russia does not seem to have any regard for the lives of the soldiers used in the war with Ukraine. The diary reflects the rote memorization of Kim Jong Un's speeches as entries first and foremost make allegiance to the leader of their country.
This weaving is made from the entire page on which the article appeared. Future woven summaries will only include the article and not the entire page so that the viewer can determine for themselves how much information about a particular topic was reported.
Entry #2
A Report to Our Readers”, Almar Latour, 1/13/25, A16, Wall Street Journal.
Though published in the OpEd section, this article articulates the function of journalism, especially in a world filled with mass hysteria, false information, AI, and a desire for the spectacle. A photograph in the middle of the article captures the reader's attention as it is a stack of WSJ papers next to a wall for every day that a WSJ reporter, Mr. Gershkovich, had been in captivity as a Russian hostage. The letter from the publisher outlines the unbiased reporting done by the writers and their dedication to providing factual information to their readers. As of today, 533 journalists are in prisons around the world. They are there because they are doing their job to provide factual information.
Entry #3
“U.S. Aims to Correct Record on 1921 Tulsa Massacre,” Sadie Gurman, 1/13/24, A3, Wall Street Journal.
Over 100 years have passed since the devastating 1921 Tulsa Massacre took place that killed over 300 people and burned a vibrant community to the ground. The Justice Department has sought to correct the flawed record that stated this event was not motivated by racial hate. In a 123-page report, the Justice Department noted that had civil rights laws been in existence at the time of this event, prosecutors would have been able to bring some form of justice to those who experienced trauma and loss. A former WSJ article written in 2021 stated that the community is still struggling due to the aftermath of the riot that broke out over rumors of putting a 19-year-old black man to death after assaulting a 17-year-old white woman.
Weaving Notes: newspaper has a grain and the strips were cut against the grain resulting in a material that was almost unweaveable. This made for an interesting visual metaphor of American history.
