Endeavoring to Save the Polaroid

When Jess brought her Polaroid camera out one night of SXSW, it spurred a handful of separate conversations about Polaroid Corp.’s decision last month to discontinue production of the beloved film. Despite understanding the digital revolution that caused this, everybody we talked to was awfully bummed. Most had already begun concocting schemes to eBay bid on & hoard what remains of the product.

The decision to discontinue the film (and close down plants in Norwood and Waltham, Mass., as well as those in Mexico and the Netherlands) comes after two decades of financial decline, according to a Feb. 8 article in the Boston Globe. The company — which employed approximately 15,000 in the late 1970’s — went bankrupt in 2001 and now plans to retain just 150 executive/administrative workers to continue a focus on flat-panel TV’s and digital photography gear.

I’ve heard that supplies should last through 2009. In the meantime, odes to the instant film are popping up online. This Huffington Post piece about artist Kimberly Brooks is especially nice. Of course, I also really appreciated this SXSW in Polaroids post at Gorilla vs. Bear. And — in book form — For the Love of Light is a collaboration of 25 artists’ odes to the instant film medium, set to release in July 2008.

Those looking to take a stand against the plant closures and film discontinuation can also join the Save the Polaroid campaign spearheaded by Jamie Bayliss. She’s urging instant film lovers to protest the decision by sending Polaroid photograph pleas — to the company directly, and to her to post on the campaign’s blog.