Combs: A Simple Magic

Do physical objects embody meaning through their very form? Can our relationship to them from our interaction with them unlock symbolism and allow other narratives to unfold? I  use the physical attributes of the object itself as an actor in an orchestrated performance, telling stories about us. My attachment to combs comes not out of vanity or identifying with the daily ritual of grooming, it is rather my rejection of these two aspects that draws me to the object.

The comb is a solid object that is only useful because of the negative spaces between it’s teeth. This simple relationship between materiality and seemingly vacant space allowed me to explore relationships that could be described or created by experimenting with proximity. By using this instrument of manipulation in a reductive manner, I sought to foreground the object, knowing the connotations associated with it, but also hoping to create new connections and upset stereotypical readings of the apparatus.

Still from the video Unbreakable