ARTWORK DETAILS

Jack Woolrych Brisbane Grammar School (Brisbane)
People, Possessions Mixed digital media
1 digital print consisting of 5 digital-collages and accompanying documentary style videos accessible by QR codes.

ARTIST STATEMENT

Over the course of life, we naturally accumulate things of personal value and they become a part of who we are. I have always believed that our possessions say a lot about us as individuals. This project aims to capture the identities of a diverse range of people, across age, ethnicity and gender, by showing their personal belongings and telling the stories behind each. Some modern philosophers believe that ‘components of identity’ like religion, interests, friends, family and more can depict who we are. The digital collage works create profiles that serve as invitations to learn more about them.

ARTWORK PROCESS

Creating a series relying on so many people during COVID-19 restrictions was difficult. ‘People, Possessions’, which was supposed to span six individuals seemed as if it may be stopped at only two subjects. Spending quarantine with my initial works, I found they lacked a depth of connections, so created accompanying videos with my interviews where subjects talked me through their possessions. It also took a lot of work to meet with people, much more than usual, as I had to carefully negotiate COVID-safe arrangements for meeting. ‘People, Possessions’ recording and photographic process.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Jack Woolrych

Ever since I was young, my parents who both work in creative industries and have encouraged me to view, love and create art. I work in several mediums, dabbling between songwriting, poetry, film-making and digital image manipulation, but mostly focusing on photography. Identity — both of self and others — as well as finding beauty in the mundanity of every day life are probably the most prominent through my works.

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