Documenting the Nameplate
Flower and Rosa-Salas would describe The Nameplate: Jewelry, Culture, and Identity as an eight-year process of gathering information, images, and stories of the nameplate from people around the world. They almost titled the book “Documenting the Nameplate,” but wanted a distinction from the continuous body of work that the research has become.
Since Flower and Rosa-Salas were kids, they’ve worn nameplates. In 2015, they started a podcast called Top Rank Podcast and discussed the nameplate within the first episode. “Through this first dive into research and speaking to friends and family, we realized the topic warranted a much bigger, richer, and more visual tribute,” they said. “We were most excited to discover how long, layered, and complex nameplates’ history and popularity is within many different communities and cultures globally. Nameplates have no origin or meaning; above all, they tell stories about the lives of the people who wear them. That’s what makes nameplate culture so varied and dynamic, because in the same way that no two nameplates are the same, neither are the personal connections that accompany them.”
Artist Kyle Richardson designed the book. She was one of the many contributors to The Nameplate: Jewelry, Culture, and Identity. “We met Kyle early in our project and her work immediately resonated with us,” Flower and Rosa-Salas said. “It was an additional plus that she also shared a connection to nameplates and always fully and deeply understood, and was able to translate, our intentions for the book. Her contribution has been so essential to making this possible.”
Flower and Rosa-Salas gathered research by hosting live events and accepting online submissions. They hosted nine events from 2017 to 2019 and worked with a different photographer at each event. The photographers include Naima Green, Azikiwe Mohammed, Gogy Esparza, Destiny Mata, Nahomi Rizzo, Mia Penaloza, Troy Montes, Arlene Mejorado, Nichelle Dailey, and students from the Los Angeles nonprofit organization Las Fotos Project.
During each free party, guests had their portraits taken with nameplate jewelry on and reflected on the importance of the nameplate. In addition, people sent messages on Instagram and an online form of testimonials and photos from people appreciating nameplates around the world. The Nameplate: Jewelry, Culture, and Identity is also composed of licensed artwork from artists including photography, archived photos, interviews and essays from historians, and perspective conversations.
Photo by Isabel Attyah Flower and Marcel Rosa-Salas
Collaboration is everything to Flower and Rosa-Salas. Some of the notable contributors and collaborators to achieve the book include Azikiwe Mohammed, Destiny Mata, Arlene Mejorado, April Walker, Professor Q, LaLa Romero, Jamel Shabazz, and Selwhyn Sthaddeus Terrell (Polo Silk). “Collaboration to me is about trust, which I think at its core is about respect,” Flower said. “I trust Marcel emotionally, creatively, and intellectually, which means that no matter what we’re working on or going through together, I get so much peace and confidence from having her by my side. And it’s also really fun! The dialogue we share in the work we do, and the connection we build with others, is the most rewarding part for me.”
Rosa-Salas agreed. The co-workers and close friends have experienced life together and have been able to bounce inspiration off one another. “For me, collaboration is also about expansion — of one's ideas and abilities — into their fullest potential,” Rosa-Salas said. “This project would have not been possible without the marriage of our distinct life experiences and expertise. Collaboration is also about vulnerability and accountability. It's about being just as transparent about what you don't know and what you're unsure of. It is a gift to work with someone like Isabel whose mind and integrity I admire so much, and who I can trust to always keep her word.”
So far, the feedback of The Nameplate: Jewelry, Culture, and Identity has been very resonating and heartwarming to readers. A key piece of feedback that stuck with them was that in addition to focusing on nameplate jewelry, the book also focused on the people. Going forward, Flower and Rosa-Salas want to continue collaborating with each other and artists around the world. They said they will also continue their podcast in addition to writing.
Rosa-Salas is in the process of finishing her book, Total Market American: Race, Data, and Advertising (Duke University Press). Flower also just became a mother for the first time while Rosa-Salas just had her second child, experiences that have inspired them to collaborate on a children's book in the future.
You can purchase The Nameplate: Jewelry, Culture, and Identity online and in various stores like Amazon, Target, Penguin Random House, Book Soup, and more.
