I didn't have a lot of hope when I set out last night in the rain. I wanted to stop at a few thrift stores in Ann Arbor before I did my usual grocery shopping for the week. To my delight, I came away with four fantastic pieces. At Value World I found a doll dressed in beautiful Indian clothing - this doll made me think about a person who is a world traveller, someone who picks up interesting items wherever they go. I also purchased a small framed print - a photograph of a flower that just felt very sentimental and sweet to me. At the Salvation Army I found a mirrored vanity tray as well as an amazing antique telephone. Overall, some great collecting. I'm not entirely sure whether I will use these objects in my final project, but I think it was a good start to just pick up things that really peaked my interest.
Your research is really coming along. One thing I'm wondering, coming out of all this, is what your attitude towards found-object collage will turn out to be. The people you link to talk about personal identity, locating oneself in culture shifts, etc., and in your post on Boltanski you talk about a spiritual dimension. This is all somewhat related, but what's the main impetus for you?
ReplyDeleteI really like the phrase "memorialize the anonymous." There's a book called "Joseph Cornell's vision of spiritual order" by Linda Blair that would probably be interesting to you.