STREET FINDS- Research
We had to find things to collect and display that most people wouldn't think to collect. I did think of cigarettes as I liked the idea of the different butt lengths and the different degree of yellow stain you would get, but due to the smell and the hygiene was advised it wasn't a good idea. Chewing gum was another idea, but again like cigarettes not that ideal.
I then saw while walking around gas cylinders and coffee cup lids. I liked the idea of collecting these, as you often see them, and they can be found in totally different states, depending on how long they have been left to litter the streets, and how abused they have been by pedestrians, cars and the weather. Some are totally squashed, others are as good as knew, they are also different brands so this adds to the variety. As well as the visual differences, I liked the idea that they had all been handled by different people, people I had probably never met before and that they all would have had a story to tell. The coffee cup stories, could be people on their own deep in thought or having conversations with other people. The gas cylinders usually filled with nitrous oxide are normally inhaled through a balloon for laughing gas for people who want to hear their voices change and have a laugh.
I also added leaves to my collections, not such a unusual subject, but the colours and forms are quite beautiful that I wanted to be able to display them. Again they are something taken for granted by many people, yet they are all have their own personality and this should be noticed.
Another idea I had, was to photograph different bricks and tiles that you find on walls and houses. There is one wall where I live that is made up of many different tiles and bricks, so as a starting point I used this to get a mix of tiles and bricks. I've always noticed this wall as it was so extraordinary so it was good to get a chance to focus on it and make a collection out of its variety of tiles and bricks.
STREET FINDS- Reflection 1
SAME BUT DIFFERENT
I wanted to display my individual collections of objects together so that they were the only thing that you focused on and so that you could compare the differences. Most people when looking at coffee cup lids for instance, normally would not take into consideration the difference in design and branding, or if they passed one on the street on the floor, would not think that's been walked over many times, or a car must have run over that. But when they are laid out next to each other, it makes you look more deeply into the object and while comparing them, would make you think why there is a difference between them.
I decided the best way to do this was to lay out each collection on a black sheet of paper and then photograph them. I really liked the results, especially with the gas cylinders as the silver is a great contrast to the black background and the the reflection from the cylinders just added to it.
Same but Different -Gas Cylinders FINAL
STREET FINDS- Reflection 2
TILES AND BRICKS
Once I had photographed the tiles, I had to display them in three different ways. I chose:
- Compounding- I put all the photographs of the tiles together, similar to laying bricks
- Classification- cut the tiles out on photoshop and laid them in colour-ways on photoshop
- Fabrication- I printed the tiles out life size and cut them out and with card raised them up, so they became 3D
I think the 3D worked well, because the tiles and bricks where at different heights and as they were life size they looked real