Objects surround us, but what do they tell us about their makers and owners? What stories can they tell?
Objects often give glimpses into others’ lives by focusing on particular interests, lifestyles, moments, memories, colours and textures.
I started producing images from objects inspired from real stories in my family history, people I knew and people I had only heard about. I extended the project by seeking out items in charity shops and museums and then used my imagination to seek out the value and memories that these objects would have held for their original owners. The project aimed to express how we use objects to create and strengthen identity and relationships and to form community and mutual understanding. As part of my process I held events where local people were able to come along with an item (any item) meaningful to them and gave them the opportunity to share the memories and value attached to it. This combination of sources helped me to see more clearly the links between our senses of identity and the things we surround ourselves with.