Cardboard is one of the most common materials in modern life. It arrives as packaging, becomes temporary storage, and passes through nearly every home briefly and without notice. Its usefulness is unquestioned but taken for granted, its lifespan short and often ends in burden.

Retained begins at that point of dismissal. By slowing the material down and working it by hand, the cardboard’s prior use remains present rather than erased. What it carried, how it was handled, and where it came from stay embedded in the finished object.

The material is not transformed to escape its ordinary nature. Its familiarity is part of the work.

Swords are objects meant to last. They are designed to endure stress, to be maintained, and to be kept rather than discarded. Even when they lose practical use, they often remain as heirlooms, artifacts, or objects of care.

In Retained, that expectation is rebuilt from a fragile material. The form carries assumptions of strength and permanence that the cardboard cannot physically uphold, shifting attention from what an object is made of to why it is kept.

The sword form is not used for function or spectacle. It provides a familiar structure through which fragility, care, and retention can be clearly felt.

Yes, the objects are intended to be handled. The work is completed through handling, as it briefly passes into the viewer’s custody.

This may involve drawing the piece, lifting it, weighing its balance, or returning it to rest (sheathing). There is no set sequence. What matters is the act of attention and the responsibility of contact rather than use or display.

This approach, referred to as Gentle Custody, defines how the work is experienced.

To retain something is to choose to keep it. In this work, retention is treated as an active decision.

Retained refers to objects that would normally be discarded, but are instead held onto, worked with, and cared for. The title points to value beginning with the act of keeping, not the material itself.

Some works from Retained may be available, while others are held as part of the ongoing archive. Availability varies by series and by individual piece.

Pricing is not fixed or standardized. It reflects the specific work, its place within the larger project, and the context in which it is presented. For inquiries regarding availability, exhibitions, or acquisition, contact is encouraged.