One Last Time, a lens-based meditation on mortality, joy, and second chances, was created during a residency at RAIR (Recycled Artist in Residence). RAIR is a non-profit arts organization uniquely situated within a contruction and demolition recycling center in Northeast Philadelphia. Developing a visual narrative juxtaposing life cycles with waste cycles, objects from household clean-outs were paired with an individual living in an especially close proximity to their own mortality. A photo shoot was collaboratively staged during which the discarded object could fulfill its purpose “one last time.” After each photo shoot, the participant traveled to the recycling center to return their object to the waste stream.
Each partnership between object and participant resulted in a series of three images: a “portrait” of the object, the “one last time” photo, and photos or video of the return of the object to the dump. A short documentary film, Gret and the Return, was created in collaboration with Tony Heriza. Images from One Last Time were exhibited at Gravy Gallery in 2018.