Glass Note

2024

18 x 12 x 11 inches

1:12 scale miniature

Wood, 3D prints, found objects, paper, extruded polystyrene foam

Set within the nostalgic backdrop of the 1990s, Glass Note captures the reality of childhood neglect. Inspired by Amelia B.'s short story, Glass, the broken glass in this work is swept into an abandoned pile and not discarded. Despite the obvious hazard it poses, there are no signs of cleanup or concern from the parents, hinting at their neglectful and indifferent attitude toward the safety and well-being of their children. Yet amidst the clutter, bittersweet glimpses of normalcy emerge—a half-eaten birthday cake and party plates on the crowded table. Parents with compulsive hoarding disorder can have difficulty maintaining a clutter-free and sanitary environment. Compulsive hoarding can cause harmful and lasting effects on family relationships and dynamics. 

Living the way we did required many specific stretches and maneuvers to move safely throughout the house. There was no such thing as simply walking a straight line between Point A and Point B- even in the short distance between the couch and the piano, a barely navigable maze of stuff teetered ominously. 

The "turn and squeeze" move got you through the piles of junk between the living room and the dining room (although we never ate in there, the dining table also being covered in junk). "Jump, climb, and crawl" got you over piles of old computers, boxes of clothes, and papers in the family room, allowing you to reach the tall bookshelves by the never-lit fireplace.

I was not allowed to move anything or throw anything away without permission and that permission was rarely granted. Mom collected things compulsively and never got rid of anything. She was what is known as a "hoarder," although that wasn't a word I would learn for many years.

A piece of paper covered most of the pile of broken glass, roughly torn, and, like the floor, dirty. “BROKEN GLASS-DO NOT STEP ON!!!” was scrawled on it in green crayon, a smiley face drawn underneath. Mom's handwriting was as familiar to me as her face.

—Excerpt from Glass by Amelia B.