- A collection from Swap-O-Rama
Another view of a collection from Swap-O-Rama
Trying to collect at Swap-O-Rama – attempting to distill some theme out of this vastness – was perhaps even more challenging than doing so at the Picture Collection at Harold Washington. I wandered the aisles, tried to connect items from various sellers by some concept or narrative or purpose, and imagined that I’d be able to find some particular “maybe” item again later if I wanted it (only, of course, to end up totally lost). Unable to juggle the breadth of available items and meanings, I think I reverted to (or maybe evolved to?) a purely visual strategy. My “shopping” experience became, it seemed, one purely of sight and surface. One particular color/texture combination seemed salient or emergent or perhaps just personally appealing, and I decided to grab up examples of the objects I found that shared the surface of the day: green(ish) and spikey (or maybe bumpy). Perhaps I owe a credit of influence to Mr. Farcus…
I really like Green(ish) and Spikey, Ryan, because it is visually interesting. I especially appreciate the fact that you focused on the 3-dimensional element of spikiness in what is our first 3D assignment. Having said that, I wonder if you couldn’t have lost the green, and just went with spikey to get more different items? A formidable effort nonetheless. The glass shoe is really awesome, because its so out of place among the dinosaurs and other “nature” items, but I suppose it may refer to some of leather? I dunno.