Pick A Memory

Art isn’t always based on trying to create original images, one of my favourite types of art is to take something old and give it a new lease of life. There is definitely something exciting about transforming the trivial and outdated into an exquisite piece of expressive art.

   When I first laid eyes on the “Pick a memory” suitcase at Hopkinson’s I found the idea rather bizarre. Why on earth would you want a photograph of someone else’s life? Of people you don’t know? In places you don’t recognise? To an extent it even made me feel quite intrusive to be looking at images of brides beaming on their wedding days, grandparents with grandchildren, friends laughing together, as if I had no business viewing these images.

   However, as I thumbed through a few of the piles of photos I began to feel a different emotion. I had a great sense of intrigue and interest into trying to understand what the story of the image was. Of course I could only speculate as to the origins of the photograph but what I was sure of was that whoever had taken these pictures had captured a moment from their life and was now sharing it.  The owners of these images obviously had no use for them anymore, again the reasons are speculative, however, through the image finding its way into this exact suitcase at Hopkinson’s it would have a whole new lease of life.

Robert Rauschenberg, Untitled, 1955 www.curatedaily.com

   When you look at the work of artists of the 1950’s, for example, Rauschenberg, you can see how found images can be utilised within an artwork to create the most interesting of creations. If you’re an artist struggling to come up with a concept, I suggest a quick look through the “Pick a memory” suitcase as it is a great source of inspiration.  

Written by Victoria