2017 SECRETS OF USA Venue: Storefront for Art and Architecture, New York Design: COMPANY / Aamu Song & Johan Olin Collaborators: John Lapp, Saville King, Esther Martin, Kore & Samuel Stolzfus, Winner Caps, Photos by COMPANY   SECRETS OF USA We set on a tour around eastern USA. Our travels took us to meet with Amish communities in Pennsylvania and traditional makers in Massachusetts and Maine. The traditional manufacturing felt strongly linked with religion. In many places, religion was the engine for hard work. In Amish Country, Pennsylvania the time had stopped. The means of manufacturing unchanged for over a hundrer years. And so was our means of communication with the makers. Posting and receiving letters overseas was both great, and lenghty adventure that we hope will continue for a long time. The project was first shown at Storefront for Art and Architecture in COMPANYs solo exhibition ’Temple of Manufacturing’ in summer 2017. Temple of Manufacturing. Storefront for Art and Architecture. Photo: Miguel de Guzmán / ImagenSubliminal Secrets of USA exhibited in Temple of Manufacturing at Storefront for Art and Architecture. Photo: Miguel de Guzmán / ImagenSubliminal Amish Cap Old and new USA meet in a hat Straw crow manufactured by Stoltzfus family in Pennsylvania. The bill manufactured by Winner Caps in Brooklyn, New York, USA Material: Straw, cotton, linen Designed by COMPANY / Johan Olin Roller Chair A chair that doubles as a marble roller Made by John Lapp in Lancaster PA, USA Material: Maple Designed by COMPANY / Johan Olin Quilt Dress Design by COMPANY / Aamu Song Made by Esther Martin in Intercourse PA, US Dress making by Sari Manner Material: Cotton. Photo by Miguel de Guzmán / ImagenSubliminal Story Belt Design by COMPANY / Johan Olin Made by Saville King in Ronks PA, US Material: Leather Letter to belt master Saville King. The Amish do not use electricity and so our communication was done by sending and receiving (paper)letters. With belt maker Saville King we used most of her leather stamps for our new belt design ’Story Belt’. We select stamp images and placed them in an order that tells the story of our journey across the eastern USA. Back in Finland we get our own punch stamp made and post it along with the drawigns back to her to Ronks, Pennsylvania. Letter to chair maker John Lapp. We find Quilt Master Esther Martins quilts from Village Quilts in Intercourse, Lancaster. Eshter is an old mennonite lady with a beautiful syle of quilting. We suggest a coperation with her where a quilt becomes a dress. From hat maker Mr. Stozfus of Flying Cloud Hats we ordered straw hats without brims. We then took them to a Brooklyn based baseball cap manufacturer Winner Caps, combined the straw crowns with baseball cap bills and created our new Amish Caps. Visiting Stolzfuz family of straw hat makers. Aamu holding our firstsample of Amish Cap. The Amish wish not to be photographed and so we have only pictures without the makers. Visiting John Lapp's furniture and toy factory in Pennsylvania. Working tables are placed along the window wall to get most out of the daylight. All Amish are first and foremost farmers. They manufacture other goods during winter season. Some makers, like John Lapp, have specialized more in manufacturing and run a factory producing childrens furniture and toys. It's not easy to run a factory without electricity but the Amish are talented in using traditional power sources and natural light but also allow the use of hydraulic / compress air tools and gas (kerosine) lamps.. Outside an Amish store in Amish country, Pennsylvania. Everything should be able to purchase in a horse distance in Amish country. It means there are lots of small makers and stores at close distance. This makes everyone in the community a maker and a seller. Next to each home, there are big or small manufacturers making everyday goods like leather belts, toys, furnitures or special kick bikes all as a family unit. Planning of Story Belt at Amish Master Saville King's workshop. Ronks, Pennsylvania. Shoe shopping in Amish Country. Arriving to Lancaster, Pennsylvania.