Lit
Kerry Fluhr
This event has concluded
Dates:
Entry Fee:
Free
Exhibition Event:
Official Opening
09/05/2019 6:00 pm
“Lit” is a collection of images that create a posthumous impression of a person based on the matches, matchboxes and matchbooks they collected. The project started when I unexpectedly came into possession of an extensive collection of over 2,000 vintage matchbooks dating from the early 1960s through the mid-2000s. The collection, which was contained in an expedition-sized suitcase, was generously given to me on a Pay it Forward group on FaceBook.
The person who provided the suitcase had retrieved it from a rubbish pile destined for council pickup and had little information about the former owner. She only knew it was owned by her neighbour, a man called Joseph who passed away sometime in 2014-2015. While I had no particular interest in collecting matchbooks, they struck me as a compelling photographic subject.
Several of the matchbooks represent classic staples of Australian phillumeny. Many others also provide information about Joseph, enabling the creation of a retrospective picture of his preferences, such as his sense of humour, his preferred Sydney hangouts, and his overseas travels. The resulting images provide an open-ended view into the life of Joseph, encouraging the viewer to conjure their own narrative about the person behind the matchbooks.
Kerry Fluhr is a Sydney-based event and documentary photographer.
List your exhibition or photography event on our site to reach out to the Australian photographic community. Australia's only listing of photographic exhibitions and events.
Elevate your home with timeless moments captured in exquisite detail – our photographic prints, crafted with precision and passion, turn every glance into a journey through artistry.