Filmmaker Elizabeth McCafferty, while making a film about Trevor Cunningham's support group Ask Trev in 2023, discovered his unusual collection of over 150 airline sick bags amassed over 37 years. This led her to create the book Sicko, a visual diary pairing each bag with Cunningham's memories.
Origin of the Collection
In 1989, Cunningham's 32-year-old boss Peter died suddenly from a brain aneurysm at work. While clearing Peter's office, Cunningham found a stash of sick bags from Peter's flights. To honor him, Cunningham continued collecting, now holding bags from defunct airlines like Dragonair, Air Berlin, and Varig.
Memories Captured
Cunningham recalls a 2016 flight from Mumbai to Delhi where he used over 20 sick bags after drinking unsanitary water. "By the time the flight took off I'd started vomiting. And it wouldn't stop. People were passing sick bags forward like buckets of rubble after an earthquake," he said. Another bag evokes an era of heavy cigarette smoke on planes.
The book also includes a tragic memory from a factory visit in Bhuj, India, where a worker died by electrocution in front of Cunningham. Despite the grim anecdotes, the project was joyful for McCafferty, who self-published after initial copies sold out.
Publication and Reception
McCafferty initially printed 10 copies wrapped in neon yellow biohazard bags, which sold out on the first day. Now in a second print run, Sicko is available via her website and select London bookshops. "The book is a celebration of cherished collections, the people behind them, and a chance to encourage people to look at the mundane a little bit differently," she said.
