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Katie Needs A Laptop

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Hello, for those of you who do not know me, my name is Kaitlyn Jo Smith and I am an artist living and working in the Sonoran Desert. Currently, I am in my second year of graduate school working towards my MFA in photography at the University of Arizona. In May my laptop took its last breath. Since then, I have been working and saving, but each time I have had enough to make the purchase an unexpected life event occurs and depletes these funds. I once again had enough money last week when a family emergency required me to fly 2,000 miles home with no notice. Frustrated, as I see this beginning to affect my practice and overall performance in school, I have finally broken down and decided to ask for help. My work strives to document the Rust Belt’s disappearing working class as America becomes the world’s first deindustrialized nation. The Rust Belt was born on ‘Black Monday’ (September 9th, 1977), when the steel mill in Youngstown, Ohio, closed its doors and put 5,000 men and women instantly out of work. Consisting primarily of our nation’s swing states, this term has no real geographical border, but instead a cultural one. The term Rust Belt describes any location where industry has been in decline since the 1980’s, mainly what was once the industrial heartland of America (Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania). By gathering and creating artifacts, I aim to tell the story of the men and women who have become professionally obsolete through an anthropological lens. Through my work, I examine the leftovers from a lost economy. Given the nature of my art and my research, I understand how tight money truly is. Even the smallest amount helps. I believe the subject of my work is important and underrepresented in the art world. By donating, you are allowing me to continue producing work crucial to the understanding and revival of middle America. Thank you for your time. If you are interested in the inner workings of my studio practice, you can read more at www.kaitlynjosmith.wordpress.com

Organizer

Kaitlyn Jo Smith
Organizer
Tucson, AZ

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