Ideas, stories and voices can come from anywhere and it is often in the overlooked and disregarded, that the most interesting can be found. As one person’s rubbish can become another’s treasure, new insights and narratives can be created from just that. Stephen Gill’s project A Series of Disappointments, captures disregarded betting slips across London. By creating a cross sectional study of the findings, as greater insight is provided into a topic. The traces of the slips and their crumpled forms tell a story about a collective demographic, by creating an emotional and human connection that the viewer can relate to. As the paper would usually be disregarded as rubbish, the reimagined collection of multiple pieces combined, suddenly reveals more about locations, people and culture than the slips would do, if shown in isolation. As a result, the importance of looking closer and taking note of traces left behind, can present untold stories and make a wider impact on society.
By indirectly collaborating with subject matter, social aspects of everyday life can be explored and make a direct impact on communities, as issues become visible and in return, recognised. As Director of Create, Patrick Fox expresses in New Writing: Dialogues and Perspectives:
“Quite often with collaboration there is an interface/mechanism that links the artist to a community.”
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