after working on the collages and wrapping up stage one of this project, it seems like a virtual collection , similiar to the way Boltanski or another archive artist may use found objects, specific objects or objects that take on significance because they belong to an individual. That individual may be significant in that they represent a type of individual (inhabitant of a particular town for instance), not really anything to do with the person but where they happen to live.
My virtual collection is one that is evidentiary in nature. the requests i’ve made are for objects that link to the basics of existence (food-fridge; bed-sleep, body; sink – bathing, daily ritual; hand – action, imprint of life experience). these requests are cliche but how one interprets and transforms these is not cliche. in this regard, the project belongs to the participants.
so instead of a physical installation of the same type of objects it is the trace of the trace , then reconfigured to become part of the larger community of images. Even if presented as an installation later, it will be a further trace, the original objects are never physically real or messed with. This makes this type of project very different than that other modes of installation such as Boltanski’s which call for an experience of the physical materials and weight.
got stuck with at the sink collage – not enough verticals to work into the format well.
all for now.
rkap's Blog 
November 23, 2009 at 8:13 pm |
Ruth: looking forward to seeing what you received in the end. Part of the fascination is that people will send photos to strangers in the first place!
I think what does link it to Boltanski’s methods is that we don’t really know who these people are and the lack of id renders things once removed or symbolic somehow. I see your project as more typological although, because of the individuality of the senders choices, it doesn’t become a “Becher” piece.
Are you doing these in some kind of grids? The grid is like some kind of default position I find. The question of presentation is an interesting and challenging one here. We’ll be able to discuss it as a class tomorrow or next week.