Caroline Jacob tackles common preconceptions of food, waste and hygiene in her latest work wASH. Using waste materials left over from Mediamatic’s food production, she creates a site-specific laundry detergent through heirloom recipes for soaps. The exhibition will open at Mediamatic Biotoop on the 9th of September.
Questioning the status of ordinary washing places, Caroline Jacob has shifted the usual location of the laundrette and will transform Mediamatic into a laundrette to present wASH. Preserving the social aspect of the laundrette, Monday Washday Laundrette is an opportunity to gather, try out wASH, as well as tell the stories emerging its creation. As an homage to the heirloom custom and the recipe embodied in the laundry detergent, visitors will be invited to wash their laundry in the space. The laundrette will open its doors every Monday and will be available for free use all day long. Visitors might become performers, clothes gesticulated, machines resonated.
At the same time, Caroline Jacob presents a series of stained napkins in the restaurant. As part of her quest to find the perfect recipe for the laundry detergent, she silkscreen printed stains on napkins and compared the different soap test samples she made to select the recipe that proved to be the best formula in terms of stain removing and fabric softening.
The napkins will be washed at the Mediamatic 'laundrette' using wASH laundry detergent. As an indicator of the performance, Mediamatic ETEN’s customers who are dining next to the installation will experience the (non)scent as much as the softness of the washed items.
wASH is an entirely natural and environmentally safe washing detergent produced at Mediamatic in 1L units, sourced from one day’s ash output. Caroline Jacob revisits this byproduct of Mediamatic ETEN through heirloom recipes and generates an organic laundry detergent that uses only ingredient found on-site. The soft unscented soap is enhanced with harvested lemon verbena known for its antiseptic qualities as well as bokashi juice, a by-product from ETEN’s organic waste, rich in the role of a softener.
About Caroline Jacob
The multidisciplinary work by Caroline Jacob (1993, Fr) comes about through an intent of questioning and reinterpreting material and process. From an observation of reality to daily life activity, she reflects on temporality and ephemerality. The core focus is an interest in the evolution of waste and remainders. By questioning the origin and treatment of those materials she seeks to morph its final outlook.
The product is of course more than just a display item: it can also be used during your weekly laundry. Customers can buy the product at the Mediamatic ETEN bar for 5,-.
