Two 30 Year-Olds Cohabit

When living together, a Whatsapp history often consists mainly of domestic matters like where on earth the iron could be or who’s picking up groceries. The interesting or important conversations happen in the home, in person, off screen.

 

This piece is primarily about a relationship. The banality of the topics covered across the chats is peppered with warm moments that remind you that you’re an insider in this romantic relationship. It questions roles within the home: Who’s in charge here? Who’s taking on the domestic responsibilities? You don’t learn much about the couple in terms of their gender, or if this is even a heterosexual couple. If these were Whatsapp messages sent in, say 1961, you would probably have an idea of who’s behind each side of the conversation. But, reading these in 2023, that’s unclear. It’s left to the reader and their own domestic situation to subconsciously make that call. 

The familiar Whatsapp green and grey speech boxes are something many of us see on a daily basis, almost continuously. They’ve become invisible even, used as a vehicle to carry communication. But here, each is given space on a glossy page in this tangible little slightly-larger-than-phone sized book. 

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2023
160gsm coated paper, hand-bound into a hardback book.
10.5 x 12 x 1.5 cm