A ‘dumpster archeologist’ reconstructs strangers’ stories via what they’ve discarded

Lew Blink is perhaps the world’s only ‘dumpster archeologist’ – especially since he coined the term himself. More than just a dumpster diver, using and repurposing items others have throw away, Blink’s passion is assembling people’s stories from the items they leave behind. The short documentary Dumpster Archeology follows Blink as he trawls through dumpsters in his home city of St Louis, Missouri in search of discarded objects that might help to reveal their former owners’ stories, and guides viewers through the paintings, books, disco balls and dog collars that have found a new home in his apartment. While, in the eyes of many viewers, Blink’s methods may blur ethical lines, his unusual pursuits seem to be born of a genuine affinity for the people he researches, and a reverence and respect for their stories. Through his eccentric subject, the US director Dustie Carter crafts a stylish and clever exploration of waste, privacy and the poetry of everyday life.