The Procrastination Collection by Jason Hunter

Opening reception for The Procrastination Collection, photography by Jason Hunter (The NightRoach). Exhibit runs from August 8–September 18.

Artist's Statement

Images from my “Procrastination Collection” art project. Facing rapid obsolescence of every skillset because of technology and AI, and facing states of permanent culture shock because every community is constantly being uprooted—due to the greed tantrums of the capitalist class—I have found myself (along with many) on a perpetual treadmill of hard work to nowhere. I believe work is mostly a scam, I’ve largely dropped away, and I’m too checked out to care anymore. I now find myself indulging in more artistic curiosities and inspirations as my life continues.

The Procrastination Collection—done in the medium of poster on cardboard—is mostly cellphone pictures taken of things I like while walking around in my spare time. Photographs are from the Utah and Salt Lake City region—except the dead bison photo. The collection doesn’t totally have a set plan. It kind of just lets things take their course while following artistic curiosities and inspirations with limited amounts of time, budget and skillset.

Runaway inflation has forced me to work with what I have: my cellphone, the poster printer at the downtown SLCPL Creative Lab, and cardboard collected from dumpsters. However, like a weed that finds a way to grow in hostile conditions, I’m happy to manage to share my art that has emerged from the discard pile with you.

Artist's Bio

(He/Him) Jason Hunter (artist name: “The/NightRoach”) used to be fairly interesting pre-2020 and was on a roll until the Covid-19 era lockdown screwed his life over, ruining all his professional work life’s momentum. Also during the same time his mean landlord doubled his rent in SLC, displacing him, and forcing him to relocate to a dirty basement, and live as an insect ever since. He hopes ALL landlords get plagued with squatters. This all happened during Covid, but he is still angry about it—it wasn’t that long ago.

At this point Jason has had too many identity crises, so he doesn’t really care who he is anymore. With no hope of ever regaining the momentum of his past, finding a good job, or girlfriend, living in basically an underground dumpster, chronically online, socially awkward, and neck deep in his own filth—Jason transformed—into, The NightRoach. NightRoach hopes his art project will get him up and outside, clear up all the brain fog caused by too much time in essentially socially mandated solitary confinement. He is ready to come out into the world again part time. People may mock and gloat at NightRoach, but they really should at least try and feel sorry for him.

NightRoach has little art training, but likes to go out and look at artwork. NightRoach likes to cook, enjoys fashion, avoids work, likes to dumpster dive, would like to travel more, and has finally made his Procrastination Collection art project.

• Age group: All Ages
• Event type: Exhibits; Arts & Creativity