Plymouth University Fine Art Degree Show June 2011

'Personal/Impersonal'

An investigation into the relationship that we have with the objects we own.

'A List of Everything in my Home' 2011

The task of compiling the list took approximately three weeks. It was a great exercise in clearing out the house (which we did along the way) and finding things we thought we had lost. It was a family effort!

The list making task moved swiftly until I came to the untidy desk, with so many odd bits of stationery and a filing cabinet full of old paper work - then it became tedious.

It wasn't until I started to write the list on the studio wall that I began to reflect more on my relationship with the listed objects and I felt quite self conscious. The thought of exposing all my  (and my family's) personal belongings made me fearful of ridicule, teasing and embarrassment.  Interestingly, other students must have felt the same, because no-one came to read the list as I was writing it, but they would wait until I had left the studio!

There were many ways in which people viewed the person/objects in their lives (and mine). Some would not want to reveal the contents of their bathroom cabinet; others their credit card statements. Interestingly, the objects I found most personal,(the personal effects of my parents) were contained in two shoe boxes and kept hidden in the loft.

Gradually I settled into the task and enjoyed writing on the wall! The list was visually impressive; creating a spatial quality that drew the viewer in. 

'A List of Everything in my Home' 2011

2.5 x 1.7m

Ink on plasterboard 

'Inventory' 2011

A hand-made book containing a typeset list of everything in my home.

The idea for the book was initially to create a substantial, imposing block, that would sit on a plinth a bit like a book of  gospels. However, I wanted to present the book in the style of a dictionary, not alphabetically (although with hindsight this would have worked better), but as a list of objects as I find them in my house. Some of the objects would have a code initial next to them to define their origin.

This style of presentation, although very satisfactory, did not give me the huge book! But I was working to a deadline and the work needed to be completed.

I used blotting paper to paint the cover and buckram to bind.

'Inventory' 2011

 15.5 x 28 x 1.5cm

Ink, acrylic paint, paper, buckram and ribbon.