Working with the ‘Found Object’:

(Discussing money, isolation and coping mechanisms through found objects)

Mixed currency small change found in flat (cleaned and polished to remove any physical/forensic association to any individual – removal of history):

Charity shop found whiskey glass with floral base:

Whiskey glass with coins placed inside

Whiskey glass with coins filled halfway with water. This creates internal reflections which makes it seem there are more coins inside the glass, giving the illusion of it being ‘half full’:

Whiskey glass half full of water with coins against creased sheet backdrop:

Whiskey glass half full of water with coins placed on found shelf which has been hung on a blank wall. Photographed with flash:

Edward Cawood: ‘Half Empty / Half Full’, wooden shelf with whiskey glass filled with mixed currency coins and water, (2020)

The idea is the relationship between money and negative coping mechanisms, with drinking as the obvious example. The water acts as a reflective surface, giving the illusion of there being more money in the glass than there is. The coins themselves comment on how financial stability can affect people’s coping mechanisms. It draws particularly on the current circumstances of the Coronavirus pandemic and how that has affected people’s income and ways to cope. The single glass on the shelf presents ideas of isolation and loneliness.

Half Empty / Half Full / Edward Cawood by blogadmin is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution CC BY 3.0