Debris of Coronavirus

Introduction

For a month, as a part of classwork, I attempted to document disposable trash during the era of Covid-19. Starting from the time of the mandatory quarantining and the time off after the time of social distancing in Korea, I found that my journey of tracing the trash somehow illustrates the emergence of a plastic cup, particularly in Starbucks.

Looking back on the process of writing, researching, and documenting about 'trash', I cannot help wondering where the plastic cup goes. How did it fall into my hand... and after being dumped, where did it go? This ties well with MacLure's article about "The Wonder of Data" (2013). Here, MacLure (2013) articulated that the wonder is a threshold, potential, or power to entangle data-and-researcher. Well, frankly speaking, I can't say that I fully understood MacLure's (2013) point but what I understood from it is that it is the power that makes me pay attention to and keep me persistent with it... the trash. Surly, who wonders about a plastic cup in a trash can? Although the discourse of the environment (e.g. pollution) may attribute some meanings to a plastic cup, for how long?

In this collaborative project, I will show you my wondering about the plastic cup through several photos. This project comprises three parts: pre-quarantining, quarantining, and after quarantining.

Pre-Quarantining: The Beginning of the Debris

The Impact of Coronavirus in Policy

So it is required and mandatory to isolate me for two weeks. Well, because I am suspected to be the asymptomatic one who may spread disease in the community. The video implies how the coronavirus outbreak will legally impact in an individual's everyday life.

The impact of Coronavirus in everyday life

So I sense the coronavirus is a national emergency because of not only the depressing news about jobocalyse but also materialized forms such as applications for self-checking, plastic gloves, hand sanitizers, messages about the confrimed cases...

I receive update numbers of confirmed cases, announcements pertaining to the virus (e.g. keep your social distance!) every day via Amber Alert.

I also received the 'welcoming hygiene pack' from the public health center in my district. It comprises two quality of masks, a bunch of masks, two disposable temperatures, a bottle of hand sanitizer, a bottle of spray, official notice of quarantine, and a medical disposable trash bag.

...and this giant orange trash bag with the sign of danger! Is my trash really dangerous?

I am encouraged to use disposable dish, fork, chopsticks, spoons, wipers , etc. for safety.

So in this journal, I will document the amount of trash that I make everyday during quarantine

Quarantining: The Emergence of Starbucks Plastic Cup

How can an individual deal with the massive amount of trash? Can an individal avoid of forcefully joining to the cycle of trash these days? I feel a bit of tiring to make plastic and food waste.

So this is the amount of trash I make a day. Plastic bags, plastic cups, plastic utensils, plastic bowls...

Plastic is really conspicous to me because it is 'abnormal usage' compared to my life. I hate to use unnecessary plastics!

And plastic bags, plastic spoon, plastic containters and plastic cups again!

I do not want to use them but... do I have any choice? I cannot help but wonder Starbucks plastic cups because 1) I usually consume 2-3 plastic coffee cups at Starbucks; 2) Korea policy allows to use plastic cup only for take-out; 3) I use my tumbler for take-out.

Well, then, what did people do with the trash in these days? What would/did/do artists do with trash?

Susie Ganch, Pile: Starbucs on Robinson

Starbucks plstic cups; personal politics; dirty cups; weaving; tepastry - she interweaved the plastic lids to display the beauty of the trash. Interesting.

What happens when the exhibition is done? Do the artwork go back to trash? What makes trash change to art piece? To what extend does the trash-art piece change people's mind? Can activism and art go together? What do I want to talk about the trash? How do I want to use the trash?

After-Quarantining: Missing the plastic cups?

So I was assuming that people will use the plastic cup inside the store in order to reduce the possibility to contact with each other. Hmmmm - when I looked around the people in Starbucks, the majority of people are using mug cups offered by the store.

But other cafes outside of Starbucks, I realized that people were using plastic cups- why? What makes people use mug cups in Starbucks but plastic cups here?

Ongoing Conclusion

This is not a final conclusion. I am still taking photos when I visit a cafe, walk on the street, encounter plastic cups on a bench - it is a temporal pause of this project. What this project reveals is that this era of COVID-19 is demanding to make meanings of trash, think about my behavior, and even politicizing the act of dumping (or producing) trash. I didn't want to do so, but it makes me recognize, navigate, and engage with 'trash'.

I mentioned McLauren's wonder of data in the introduction. I am wondering about the plastic cup. I want to know where and how it moves. I am still wondering how to engage with plastic cups emerging in my everyday life. What can I think about them? I am still wondering where it emerges and not. I am still wondering when I encounter them or not.

Because of the COVID-19, the physical place where I feel safe is very limited. I do go to the place where people gather a lot (e.g. department store, grocery store) nearby my house because it is a place where I have to go but I don't intentionally choose the public place for entertaining. So I am still wondering, then, in the limited place, how do they emerge? What new thinkings will they bring to me?

Although this project is 'finished', it is not finished. I probably cannot help but notice the existence of a plastic cup in a place and wonder what I can do with it - removal? dumping? making? touching? avoiding? I do not know. But for now, I temporarily attribute meaning to the plastic cup as a 'debris of COVID-19'.

Comments:

Bringing a cup: issues of contact?

Disease (throwing away)?

Plastic cup: sustainability

How to make relationship with trash? What does this relationship tell others?

Thinking about materials

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