“The collection marks the place where history is transformed into space, into property.” Susan Stewart, 1993.
Second-Hand is concerned with connections between objects and spaces. Through an oscillation between the universal and the personal, buildings and objects, I navigate the impact of universal changes in contrast to my personal experience of being unhoused. I draw a connection between construction sites and small scale interventions with dilapidation - duct taped holes, temporary scaffolding, plastic wrapped fences. These, to me, represent a form of care.
These slap-dash interventions emphasise a sense of urgency in preservation; their handiwork is obvious. Objects and imagery of construction sites are situated at the window, opposite the focal point of Second-hand. There is an invitation for the viewer to look out at the landscape, and consider the impact of large-scale changes that are currently taking place.
These attempts at preservation represent ways in which the individual protects themselves in times of constant change - a focus on the minute, the personal and the material. The objects that form this collection become an emblem for the personal: small interventions in crochet, stitch and yarn: a gesture of care. The quote from Susan Stewart links the collection and physical space. Her choice of the word ‘property’, which synonymously means possessions and real estate, highlights the relationship between objects and the home; when you are unhoused, your belongings become integral to your being. This relates to the nature of collections: a desire to categorise every object, to hold it in its entirety and define it.
