The Goji I, II, III, IV, and V Earrings began as a collection of rough shapes. Carved from wax and casted by hand, each piece was made to replicate the details of decay. If you keep 100 things in your life, every one of those things will be used, worn out, replaced, thrown out, or become obsolete. Our biological instinct is to preserve what is valued, but what would it mean to value something yet choose not to sustain, retain, or protect it?

50 years ago when we landed on the moon, 100 objects were left behind. A family photograph by one of the Apollo 16 astronauts, a portion of their lunar lander, the American flag. In July 2011, NASA issued a set of recommendations aimed to preserve the six Apollo “heritage” sites and the 100 artifacts in a way that's similar to the preservation of national parks. Source: NASA

The Goji Earring I

From an online initiative that shares stories and recipes about bread from around the world, this is a photograph of some two-month-old bread sawed into pieces and stacked on itself. Led by artist Leche Smith.

The Goji Earring II

A sweet bun taken on an Air Canada flight coming home from Japan 2 years ago. Now preserved and taped on my living room wall as "art". I've yet to see any signs of mold.

The Goji Earring III

6 cucumbers and 30 pickled cucumbers in various sizes titled “Selbstporträt als Essiggurkerl”. This translates to “Self-portrait as a pickled cucumber” by Austrian artist Erwin Wurm.

The Goji Earring IV

The MTA - one of the world's oldest public transit systems. Decades old decorative  mosaics made from tile and terra cotta are in decay and disrepair, replaced or obscured by supports that maintain structural integrity in each station. Photo: Andrew Ruvkin

The Goji Earring V

The Goji Collection

Goji Earring I
Goji Earring II
Goji Earring III
Goji Earring IV
Goji Earring V