There are two elements to the presentation of this work, the gallery and the website. The concept behind this is to present the same objects in two ways in order to perceive them differently because of the influence of the format by which they are being viewed. Both forms of presentation make reference to the way in which collections can be accessed and the connection and relationship between private and public collectors.
The postcards themselves are layed out on a presentation table in the gallery. This is a typical way of showing ‘found’ objects in a gallery or museums surrounding in order to view them clearly and make comparisons on mass between all of the items in terms of style, theme and age. The postcards can be analysed as historical objects showing how the town has changed or as pieces of photography in their own right. It is possible to see the developing use of photographic techniques and styles that change with fashion. One of the main purposes of a postcard is to portray an idealised view of a place to tourists and ‘outsiders’ (non-locals) who may receive them. This idealisation goes beyond simply documenting the location.
Alongside this display are business cards with the web address of the supporting ‘collectors’ website. Visitors are able to take one away and explore the site in their own time. The site provides more information about the individual cards and the history of postcards. It also has an interactive element and a more personal connection to the collection. The look and feel of the website is not meant to be professional, the passion of sharing the collection takes more importance.
The title of the gallery piece and the website is “Southampton Postcard Archive”. It is plan and straightforward to explain the content of the work. The word archive is also intentional. An archive is “A place or collection containing records, documents, or other materials of historical interest”. This is true to an extent with this work but does not match the typical idea of an archive being extensive. This collection is by no means an archive; it is a small collection of commonly found postcard designs that many other serious collectors will already own or even disregard because of the number produced (locally). It expresses the self importance a collector can feel about their collection. By creating a website to share you collection with a wider audience makes the assumption that people are interested in what you have to offer. The word gives the collection an importance and cultural significance beyond its own means.
The postcards themselves are layed out on a presentation table in the gallery. This is a typical way of showing ‘found’ objects in a gallery or museums surrounding in order to view them clearly and make comparisons on mass between all of the items in terms of style, theme and age. The postcards can be analysed as historical objects showing how the town has changed or as pieces of photography in their own right. It is possible to see the developing use of photographic techniques and styles that change with fashion. One of the main purposes of a postcard is to portray an idealised view of a place to tourists and ‘outsiders’ (non-locals) who may receive them. This idealisation goes beyond simply documenting the location.
Alongside this display are business cards with the web address of the supporting ‘collectors’ website. Visitors are able to take one away and explore the site in their own time. The site provides more information about the individual cards and the history of postcards. It also has an interactive element and a more personal connection to the collection. The look and feel of the website is not meant to be professional, the passion of sharing the collection takes more importance.
The title of the gallery piece and the website is “Southampton Postcard Archive”. It is plan and straightforward to explain the content of the work. The word archive is also intentional. An archive is “A place or collection containing records, documents, or other materials of historical interest”. This is true to an extent with this work but does not match the typical idea of an archive being extensive. This collection is by no means an archive; it is a small collection of commonly found postcard designs that many other serious collectors will already own or even disregard because of the number produced (locally). It expresses the self importance a collector can feel about their collection. By creating a website to share you collection with a wider audience makes the assumption that people are interested in what you have to offer. The word gives the collection an importance and cultural significance beyond its own means.
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