bandersnatch

the estate · region e

virginia

the papers of the field photographer, as filed.

An old bellows camera and archival envelopes in a quiet window-lit field office
THE ESTATE / THE INSTRUMENTS REMAIN

from the county paper · clipping · undated

virginia

1935 —

field photographer to the office, region e. she walked every road in the county with the camera and printed the places, not the people. of the animal she filed the damage only. she is survived by the county.

tota vita mea

— her epitaph. the stone gives no second date.

the succession · field photographers of record

  1. virginia i1935 – 1951
  2. virginia ii1951 – 1963
  3. virginia iii1963 – 1979
  4. virginia iv1979 – 1988
  5. virginia v1988 – 2003
  6. virginia vi2003 – 2011
  7. virginia vii2011 · did not return the film
  8. virginia ix2012 —

every field photographer of record is named virginia. the office does not explain this.

the numbers accumulate. no one is replaced.

the office

the archivist keeps the estate and the file. the archivist does not leave the office. there is no photograph of the archivist.

the date stays open.

the next room → the counter