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THINGS TO THINK ABOUT

Some Everyday Objects & The Queries They Pose


The proposal is for a 128 page, 210 mm square publication currently entitled ‘Things to Think About’. It focuses on everyday objects and depicts a range of artifacts each with a story to tell. We live in a consumer society and surround ourselves with an array of products many of which are reassuringly familiar. However, on closer inspection they often raise ecological or social questions and trigger unexpected observations that call for careful scrutiny.


When working in the design industry I became aware of the high levels of thought and ingenuity that go into even the simplest object. Alongside this I have a love of information and a fascination with statistics. So, for some while, I have been making and exhibiting prints of familiar items in a style I am referring to as EcoPop or ‘Pop Art with a Conscience’. Each object is selected because it has a story to tell. It is the combination of the contemporary images and their, often unexpected, tales that forms the basis of this book.


The working title is “Things to Think About  and it explores the significance of commonplace artifacts by cataloguing what Jasper Johns called “things looked at but rarely seen”. Each object is accompanied by a short text recording the reason for its selection. Some of the observations may be intriguing, some illuminating and others concerning.The images and their statements are sharing the information I have discovered whilst exploring some of the issues of the day.


Six groups of objects form the different sections of the book. They start with Things Discarded which looks at disposable items and celebrates their complex design forms rather than the brand images. Whilst we may re-cycle some of the materials used to make them, we throw away the actual objects which demonstrate the ingenuity of their designers and the inventiveness of the manufacturers. Objects include Tin Cans, Beer Bottles, Cardboard Boxes and Plastic Bags.


Things Overlooked details the forms of artifacts which are so familiar that we perhaps take them for granted. The group includes Things Outside which deals with objects ‘above our heads’ and ‘beneath our feet’. Subjects include Paper Clips, Drawing Pins, String and Sticky Tape as well as Telegraph Poles and our Water Supply.


Things with Issues is the largest series of prints and explores some of the items surrounding us which reflect issues worth more consideration. Medical and Heath develops the significance of objects such as Pills and Plasters. Food and Drink topics range from Chocolate Production to concerns about Food Waste and Dairy Farming. Social & Domestic includes Sleep and Exercise, Digging the Garden and Living Indoors. Clothes & Fashion  discusses the ecological impact of the clothing industry, whilst Tools & Devices examines some of the decisions that are made when designing products such as Smart Speakers and Soap Dispensers.