Merry Christmas!

Peace, health and prosperity to all in the New Year....

Pair of photos for "Untitled diptych #3"

These photos were taken in November, 2009.

November 16 to november 23, 2009

These are the items from the week of November 16th before sorting and cleaning.

Objects found the week of November 9, 2009

Row 1

one rubber cobra (top)

one piece blue plastic, fishing line attached (bottom)

one green rubber turtle

one green plastic duck

one bunch pink plastic grapes

one pink plastic toy cellphone

one toy doll arm ( right hand)

one piece ridged blue plastic

Row 2

one piece hand shaped paper saying "yo di una mano"

one piece yellow plastic with dimpled balls on each end, use unknown

one yellow plastic ball with black electrical tape wrapped around

one piece yellow plastic, use unknown

one piece ribbed grey plastic, use unknown (top)

one piece yellow metric tape measure (bottom)

one piece white plastic deodorant applicator, brand unknown

one piece grey plastic deodorant applicator, brand unknown

one dark purple toy building block,brand unknown

two light purple building blocks, marked "JIQI SERIES TOYS"

one light purple plastic toy soccer ball, smashed in

Row 3

one white plastic cup having a faint image of animal in polka dot vest

one stretchy white bracelet

one white plastic ice cream spoon

one U shaped piece white plastic

one white plastic toy valise

one piece purple plastic, use unknown

Row 4

one orange plastic spray top "OFF" brand

one yellow plastic top to pencil sharpener

one yellow plastic toy truck, tank only

one orange plastic truck cab "SUPER POSER" written on windshield

one red plastic toy army tank in two pieces

one piece red and white reflective tape

one piece red plastic decorative grid

Row 5

one piece of an old 45 rpm record

one piece black plastic toy tire

one black pentagonal soccer ball panel

one black plastic screw top cap

one white plastic screw top cap

one white plastic spoon

one piece green plastic, very worn

one green and white toothbrush :COLGATE" brand

one pair gold tone sunglasses, lenses ground so much it is impossible to see

one black/white plastic comb with label "FARMACIA JACO, S.A., C. 75"

one black plastic eyeglass temple with flower shaped hinge

one black plastic eyeglass temple, no markings

Row6

seven clothespin halves

one blue/white lighter, make unknown

one clear blue plastic lighter, marked "SUPER MAS #2 TEL 777- 1162 QUEPOS COSTA RICA"

one small blue plastic lighter "BIC" brand

one blue plastic hinge

one shard green plastic

one piece purple plastic, use unknown

one yellow plastic pen cap, make unknown

one black plastic pen cap, make unknown

one red plastic pen cap, make unknown

one piece green plastic tube

Row 7

one green plastic tube

Row 7

one green plastic screw top

two white plastic screw tops

one tiny green and blue toy tire

one red plastic sphere with cartoonish girl figure marked "ALITA"

one orange plastic screw top marked "SACHETTO VODKA"

four screw tops various colors

one fishing line reel "ARATY" brand (top)

one large white plastic screw top (bottom)

A stormy yellow dawn.

This photograph shows the second diptych in it's final mounted form

Untitled diptych # 2, one in a limited edition of ten.

A weeks booty

Since the project has taken on a diary aspect I decided to photograph each weeks bounty. The trash is sorted from the sea glass and driftwood which I use in other projects. This is the rather impressive batch from the week of November 9, 2009.

These objects were found the week of November 2, 2009

Row 1

one lawn sprinkler sprayer

one piece grey plastic, embossed "GULF"

one rusted enamel coffee pot lid, knob missing (top)

one blue wooden knob (bottom)

one thin fork tine, no handle

one white plastic spoon

one translucent plastic tube, marked "FINISHED WALL WITHIN THESE LINES"

two pentagonal soccer ball panels, "PILOTA NOVA" brand

one green toy dish (top) with one half of green plastic egg inside

one pink plastic toy teacup (bottom)

one contact lens case "RENU" brand (top)

one pink plastic toy figure, vaguely human-like (bottom)

one green plastic building block, "LEGO" brand

one orange handled hex wrench (bottom)

Row 2

one ridged blue piece of plastic

one black plastic racquetball handle

one half of a black plastic knife handle

one yellow plastic coach chassis,one black wheel, other missing

one green plastic toy seashell

one blue plastic toy octopus

one half of a blue toy cellphone

one orange plastic handle, use unknown

one orange plastic sea creature, cartoonish with tentacles

one bent red plastic cog-shaped object

Row 4

one blue lighter, "BIC" brand

one red lighter, "BIC" brand

nine plastic clothespin halves

five plastic screw tops, various sizes

Row 5

one red plastic bottle handle

one pink plastic bottle flip-top

one blue plastic scoop (top)

one purple plastic disc (bottom)

one pair black sunglasses, one temple and one lens missing, "QUIKSILVER" brand

one broken eyeglass frame, "PRADA" label

one faux tortoise-shell eyeglass temple, marked "D&G"

one brown plastic eyeglass temple, marked "CALVIN KLEIN"

one silver earring with black dangly beads

one silver hoop earring, very rusted

one grey plastic cube

one cork from a wine bottle, marked: MENDOZA ARGENTINA"

These objects were found the week of October 26, 2009

Row 1

one yellow plastic scrub brush handle, "ETERNA" brand

one orange plastic bottle, original contents unknown

one soccer ball panel, "MIKASA" brand

one blue drinking straw, end chewed

two identical flower shaped pieces of white plastic, use unknown

one yellow plastic hinge (top)

one blue plastic whale (bottom)

one piece of translucent plastic, "prensas" and the letter "r" hand written in white ink

one pink plastic strap

one black plastic comb

one green razor handle, "SCHICK" brand

one wooden folding knife, rusted shut, "OPINEL" brand

one red strap with buckle

one red toy car, marked "MARVEL"

Row 2

one pop open lid, "PRO-V" brand

one white tricycle pedal

one silver earring with a chased vine pattern (top)

one ladies wristwatch, no band, aged beyond identification (middle)

one blue plastic toy gun (bottom)

one black plastic jar lid , "BODY SHOP" brand pumice foot scrub

one black plastic ring, (outer object)

one yellow mustard bottle squeeze top, (inner object)

one green plastic Popsicle handle

one green plastic toy lawn chair

one clear plastic lid with pinwheel pattern

one blue plastic bottle handle, (outer object)

one wad green plastic fishing line, (inner object)

Row 3

green plastic lawn sprinkler body, "MACASA" brand

one pentagonal soccer ball panel, "NOVA PRO" brand

one white plastic knife

one pink sippy cup lid (top)

one green plastic disc (middle)

one pink plastic toy plate (bottom)

one small rusted piece of metal (inside plate)

one white plastic floss dispenser, "ORAL-B" brand

one plastic part of a deodorant applicator, brand unknown

one chunk of heavy white porcelain, possibly electrical insulation (top)

one pink plastic ring (bottom)

one white plastic eyeglass temple marked "DADA"

one amber eyeglass temple, marked "GUESS"

one faux tortoise eyeglass temple, make unknown

one black sunglasses, both temples missing, make unknown

one neon green sunglasses, one temple missing, make unknown

Row 4

six clothespin halves

one purple lighter, "BIC" brand

one intact blue clothespin

six plastic bottle tops, various sizes

These objects were found the week of October 19, 2009

Row 1

one wood newel post, 24 cm

one plastic faux wood toy gate

one spool fishing line, "ARATY" brand

one white screw top lid

Row 2

one diving mask, no lens

one black knife handle

one blue plastic object, use unknown

one silver tone trunk latch

one silver auto window handle

one short ball point pen

one mauve plastic toy meat cleaver

one black grille from a toy automobile

one 10 colon silver coin

one eyeglass temple, black with copper detail, brand unknown

one eyeglass temple, black, brand unknown

one watch, strap missing, non-functioning, "MAXIMA" brand

Row 4

one blue toy building block,"MEGA BLOCKS" brand

2 lengths nylon rope, 40 cm. each

one plastic toy part, marked "CRAYOLA" and having a "McDONALDS" logo

one lighter, "CLIPPER" brand with marijuana leaf logo

one yellow lighter, "CLIPPER" brand

one green lighter marked: "IN GOD WE TRUST" and "EN DIOS CONFIANZA"

one small white lighter, "BIC" brand

one orange plastic toy part, use unknown

one neon green plastic disc, embossed with a strange, mouse-like figure

Row 5

one piece of a black air grip pro flyer, "FRISBEE" brand

one piece of a blue, transformer like toy

one toy person, male, with red plastic hat

one piece of painted wood, having a hole on one end, palm tree and dolphin motif, marked "COSTA RICA"

one clear neon green plastic scoop

one green plastic bell pepper, small hole on top

one pentagonal soccer ball panel

one red plastic handle, use unknown

one piece of small purple plastic, use unknown

one amber colored plastic blob

Row 6

nine plastic clothespin halves

one "U" shaped piece of white plastic.

five screw top lids, various sizes

objects found the week of October 12, 2009

As long as the objects were being documented I felt I should pay more attention to the layout. The bits and pieces began to take on a narrative quality. The next obvious step was to begin to catalog it all.

Row 1

one plastic screw top jar,original contents unknown

one tangled mass of blue fishing line

Row 2

one very rusted iron bar, 36 cm

Row 3

one butcher knife, tip broken off

one rubber logo

one red rubber pentagonal soccer ball panel

Row 4

one "BARBIE" type doll, head and one arm missing, legs blackened

one conical piece clear plastic, possibly a headlamp cover

one tempera paint jar, "FABER CASTELL" brand

one plastic mouthpiece

Row 5

one wristwatch with broken strap, "PUMA" brand, non-functioning

one white plastic flip top

one piece juice box top

one red toy sieve

Row 6

one red plastic starfish

one white applicator with orange tip, contents unknown

one orange toy plastic paella pan containing two beads, one red and one white

one blue plastic spoon

one white plastic spoon

one piece green plastic with raised five point star pattern

one plastic box with lid, marked: "spare blades ten pieces"

one half orange toy cell phone

one piece yellow plastic with green and red inserts, use unknown

Row 7

one piece black rubber with tan lines, probably from a shoe

one small red lighter, "BIC" brand

one large black lighter, "BIC" brand

one white lighter marked "NGUA CHIEN"

one white lighter, "DERBY" brand

one clear yellow lighter, brand unknown

seven plastic bottle caps, various colors

Row 8

six clothespin halves, various colors

untitled diptych # 2

I was pleased with this pair and decided to mount the photographs. They are from November 2009.

objects found the week of October 5, 2009

There was a bit of trial and error involved. I soon began to see that I needed more "stuff" as I preferred a more layered look. A less successful effort, this one is too long and too fat.

More recently I began to keep a log of my weekly finds. These photos serve as a catalog of sorts.

The objects above were collected the week of September 28, 2009. For the longest time I could not understand why there were so many clothespin halves....it bothered me for years until one day I was down by the souvenir vendors and was struck by the sight of all the pareos fluttering in the breeze...what do you string clothes up with?... clothespins!

A nagging mystery was solved.

Photographs do not fare well in the humid tropical heat, therefore I chose to mount them seamlessly on black boards, a common process here in Costa Rica. The panel is raised from the wall by a 3 cm. deep backing, allowing the image to float. The two panels are lacquered to protect them and keep them from buckling and bubbling. The result is a completely flat, matte surface. Each panel is 40 cm. wide by 30 cm. tall.

Untitled diptych # 1, one in a limited edition of ten.

I decided I liked the idea of two images somehow used together, one of the entire construction, and another detail shot.

The pattern I established was that the objects were to be photographed on a light blue background, mostly because that was the most appropriate thing I had at the time. The fish theme emerged subconsciously but seemed fitting.