Ivan Cash: "What's in a Voicemail?"

"Voicemails are the closest thing to a digital message in a bottle."

It’s only when you really want to leave a voicemail, that you’re hit with the irksome automated recording: “The inbox is full and can not take any more voicemails at this time. Goodbye.” Like who leaves voicemails anymore? Well you do, apparently, but why is everyone’s inbox always full?

This reality inspired artist, filmmaker, and Young Guns 10 winner Ivan Cash to create a film about all of his saved voicemails. Over nine years and 50 voicemails in the making, “What’s in a Voicemail?” is sentimental, sweet, kinda funny, and it might inspire you to go listen to your saved messages too.

We caught up with Ivan to learn about the roots of “What’s in a Voicemail?” and his growth as an artist.

This project was fueled by a very relatable issue– a chronically full inbox. What feelings washed over you when you listened to all of your saved voicemails?

For the video, I listened to every single one of my saved voicemails over the past nine years. I don't recall how many there were exactly, but over 50 for sure. Curating them was a bit of a jigsaw puzzle, because I knew I wanted some really emotional messages and others that might not be as sentimental, but provided a cool insight into mundane life– like my jury summons being pardoned and my dad calling to tell me about Walmart having the best-rated toilet paper brand in Consumer Reports.

"Curating them was a bit of a jigsaw puzzle, because I knew I wanted some really emotional messages and others that might not be as sentimental– like my dad calling to tell me about Walmart having the best-rated toilet paper brand in Consumer Reports."

And why did you save nine years worth of voicemails?

Honestly, I think nostalgia and sentimentality are the two main reasons. I want to remember the tender moments people have called to tell me about. Voicemails are the closest thing to a digital message in a bottle– something I can replay and remember.

How did the short film A Star in the Desert written by Yasmeen Turayhi inspire you and this project?

This project was actually created on behalf of a BLK SHP fellowship. They provided me with Yasmeen's essay and asked me to create a work of art in response to it.

From Yasmeen’s story of her family and her experiencing the Gulf War as an Iraqi American, I was struck most by the description of her aunt’s voicemail:

A blinking red light.

Her pressing play. Then stopping. Then pressing play again.

Her aunt's voice, sobbing, in Arabic. “Things are really bad here and no matter what happens, I love you and always will.”

This got me thinking about voicemails as a special medium — preserved, intimate moments — a distant cousin to messages in a bottle.

"This got me thinking about voicemails as a special medium — preserved, intimate moments — a distant cousin to messages in a bottle."

And it got me wondering about the stories we all have in our saved voicemails… and what emotions, secrets, and histories might be revealed through these personal recordings?

What are you’re thoughts on the evolution of communication over time: letters, telegrams, emails, phone calls, voicemails, FaceTime, text messages, DMs, voice memos, etc.?

I think handwritten letters are best. I did a project some years ago called Snail Mail My Email, that turned people's emails into letters, so clearly, I'm biased. I also like phone calls. I don't like FaceTime, it feels too intrusive. Overall, there are too many ways to communicate and most of us are bombarded. I like to create boundaries between my phone and me.

How did you decide on the artistic execution for this mini-film?

I knew I wanted to make this concept into a film, but I didn't want to shoot live-action, or overly produce it. So still photos felt like the right balance. Not too slick. I also liked the idea of including still photos of the people from the voicemail, letting viewers get a small glimpse into their lives.

Ten years ago you were named a Young Guns 10 winner. How has your creative style/work/interests evolved over the past decade?

10 years ago? Wow. My creative style, work, and interests have continued to evolve. I'm much more into film than I was back then. I've done a couple of speaker circuits in that time to share my work with live audiences, which has been a blast. One specific moment that stands out is screening my first short doc film, Howards Farm, in my rural hometown. That was a particularly meaningful screening.

"One specific moment that stands out is screening my first short doc film, Howards Farm, in my rural hometown. That was a particularly meaningful screening."

Any goals for 2022 that you would like to share?

Begin production on a feature-length film!

IVAN.CASH

One Club for Creativity Members get featured here on the One Club website and across our social media channels. Have a new project you'd love to share? An upcoming exhibition and you'd like us to help spread the word? Drop us a line at membernews@oneclub.org. We always love to know what our One Club Members have been up to, so don’t forget to send us your cool work!

NOT A MEMBER? JOIN TODAY!