Give. Get.
Objects in the closet, objects in the attic, the things we carry around but may have stopped seeing, or considering: these are the things with which Give and Get is concerned.
We are interested in the invisibility and in the noticing of objects, and how these acts can be connected to estimations of value, different kinds of value, particularly those other than money and use. Religion, superstition, memory and something like pleasure come into play, as do close observation, handling, considering. To explore these questions, at various venues in the UK and US, we (Emily Artinian and Lin Charlston) are running 'object exchanges', starting with a small stock of items of our own, and offering these for exchange with any item someone sees fit to trade into the exchange. We're also collecting people's own descriptions of the objects given, and the objects taken, and also - especially - your thoughts on what has been gained (has anything been lost?). These trades and the thoughts about them are logged here on the exchange page. We are interested in past stories attached to the objects, and new ideas and stories that attach over time. These could be true, they could be fabricated. |
This site is here to follow the objects and to let their meanings and narratives evolve. In some ways, this site and project become something of a broker for these transactions; we hope to evoke reconsiderations of what is meant by 'value' and to look at broader ideas around ownership. For example, should we take a percentage on the trades? Should we become involved in lending, collecting interest, etc.? Perhaps this website itself is our way of 'collecting interest' - using the word 'interest' differently (but not very).
Please join us at one of the exchanges, email us to participate by snailmail, and join us here on the exchange page in the comments section - to add thoughts about your own exchange, or on others you see pictured. Where have the objects gone; are they swapped again and what for; are they gaining interest? Weirdly, the objects do seem to gain value because of the choosing, lending, swapping, picturing, showing. - Lin Charlston and Emily Artinian, November 2011 |