ELISABETH SMOLARZ

ENCYCLOPEDIA OF THINGS

2014–2023, Photography Series

 

For the ENCYCLOPEDIA OF THINGS photography series I collaborate with individuals in their home environments. Each participant selects personal objects as portals to memory that are both precious and meaningful, they are then arranged for the camera in a temporary installation. The installations of the participants' most treasured objects embody their sense of self-hood and identity, and tell the story of each individual. Since starting this long term project in 2014 I collaborated with individuals in North America, Europe, the Middle East and most recently in East Asia. The final result is series of intricate non-concrete portraits consisting of a prevalent vocabulary made out of ubiquitous objects that echo the universality of the human condition.

 

Selected Exhibitions:

The Encyclopedia of Things, Morgan Lehman Gallery, New York

The Encyclopedia of Things, Visual Arts Center of New Jersey, Summit

Interior Landszaft, Lesley Heller Workspace, New York

Hein und seine Sippe, Kunstverein Wagenhallen, Stuttgart, Germany

cake, dolls, gift bags, and other things, Radiator Gallery, New York