石油祖先：口述歷史 Oil Ancestors: Oral Histories

我們製作和使⽤材料的⽅式隨著時間⽽改變
如今⽯油基材料已成為⽣活的平凡
但這種變化僅僅在上世紀才發⽣
仍還有⼈記得
那個在⼀次性塑膠和化纖普及之前的時代

隨著緊迫的氣候變遷與衝擊
⼈們對傳統材料和技術有了新的想法
讓我們收集收藏
並從這些變遷的故事中學習
請使⽤你的⼿機或其他錄⾳設備記錄這些對話
並與你⽣活中或是社區中的長者們
⼀起記錄他們的回憶和經歷

__PROJECT 1: ORAL HISTORY
__

The ways humans make and use materials changes over time. Petroleum-based materials are an ordinary part of everyone’s life now, but this change has only happened in the last century. There are still people alive who remember a time before single-use plastic packaging and synthetic fabrics were so common. As people become increasingly aware of the impacts of climate change, there is a renewed interest in traditional materials.

Use your phone or other audio device to record conversations with elders in your community to capture their memories and experiences with material and energy transitions. You don’t have to ask all the questions, you can choose just a few and let the conversation guide you.

Interviews in all languages are welcome! Questions are now available in Mandarin and English. We would like to expand to include Kreyol and Spanish soon. The questions are for all of us to contemplate, but I encourage you to reach out to friends and family who are in their 70s, 80s, and 90s. Experiences and stories vary depending on where people grew up and their living conditions.

Try out the process by making a 1-min recording here:
https://oilancestors.com/oral-history/share/

Please visit the website for more detailed instructions and information
about how to make and share longer recordings:
https://oilancestors.com/oral-history/

__PROJECT 2: FIRE STARTER / SMELL JAR
__
materials: South Carolina cotton, Pennsylvania crude oil, glass canning jar

I soaked raw cotton in crude oil and stuffed it in a jars for people to sniff as an olfactory experience. The petroleum has a very strong odor and the cotton is a vector for holding that scent. The soaked cotton also has a practical application as a quick, portable way to start a fire.

Both cotton and petroleum are key materials in the violent history of the United States. Their production and consumption has shaped the American landscape and culture. This flammable, odorous combination reflects the legacy of environmental racism and social justice movements throughout this nation's history. People's health and freedom continue to be be impacted by the industries surrounding both petroleum and cotton.

This project was created for Cotton: Raw Material and Precious Metaphor, the 2020 W.A.R.P. (Westtown Artist Residency Project) with The Weaving Mill in Chicago.