ARTIFACT #0004 (Toe tag) (2022)

Virgil Abloh’s Off-White branded zip ties initiated my interest in physical labels. I observed that tags can signify one of five categories: price, expiration, classification, care, and/or ownership. The often discarded slips are all meant to enhance the longevity of the attached object. Toe tags are no different. These manila sheets (which over time have been swapped for more secure wrist or ankle bands) bring the five categories to an intersection, simultaneously listing the “owner” of the body, the time of expiration, additional comments for special care, and medical/personal demographics. The tagged body still holds an ambiguous price, shifting from the “pricelessness” of life to the potential of donation to preparation for post-mortem expenses. Toe Tag (2022) gives “the living” post-mortem agency to determine their care instructions, therefore controlling their “worth.”