To be gathering dust means to remain unused, left behind, untouched for a long period of time. Gathering dust implies an inertia, a dormancy, typically within the domestic household. Taken literally, it suggests a foreboding force, gaining momentum, reminiscent of those ominous dust storms that have become increasingly frequent in desert regions as the climate emergency escalates. Dust itself carries connotations of the fragility of beings, the passing of time, disillusionment, disappointment, and death. Ultimately, dust reminds us of the humble nothingness from which we were once formed and inevitably will return to. Image: Elise Cakebread, from Gathering Dust, 2023. Image courtesy of the artist.