Designed and edited by Sarah Piegay Espenon

Campaign Child speaks of the uneasy relationship between Western capitalist motifs and the global contexts they insert themselves into while questioning how desire is validated through photography.

'the uneasy relationship between Western capitalist motifs and the global contexts'

'unexpected narratives through the manipulation of bodies and objects in space'

'create new meanings out of disparate objects, bodies and situations. Each image attempts a balance: between the pure, clean, functional axis of photography as a communication tool, and the slippages that occur when juxtaposition and narrative gaps leave space for the mind to unfold.'

'these are white and blond children and American settings – indicating a strong influence of Western Capitalism on the Chinese fashion industry.'

'The innocence of a child combined with the cold leery gaze of advertising is what makes it all so familiar yet uncomfortable'

'uses the backdrop of commercial photoshoots to create new, unexpected narratives’

‘new meanings out of disparate objects, bodies and situations.’

‘the manipulation of bodies and objects in space’ 

'the dread of the unknown transpires'

'an air of puzzlement and curiosity'

'Yuan’s constant thematic discomfort leaves the viewer with a lingering sense of wonder'

• Featured in Issue 1 - Street photography in Shanghai

• Closing Ceremony Magazine is a ‘closing ceremony’ for the traditional/classic photography and a warm welcome to the new. We would like to offer a platform for those new photographers who might or might not have market recognition yet, to present their works on print and create a dialogue with the world.

• Established by Same Paper in 2015

  
  

Same Paper was eager to explore various aspects of consumerism: online shopping, the role of imagery, and the ability for it to bring about short-term pleasure while at the same time providing a distraction from the outside world.

“I love how the fruits are shadowed and cut by the awnings under the sun, and the blocks of colour magically blend”

“The men's faces were covered with sweat and oil, the women were yelling and people were constantly arguing for a bargain. Those memories are still vivid to me.”

'transition area between urban and rural landscapes'

'I go back to my hometown every year for the Chinese New Year holiday and most of the time I act like a tourist. Even though I spent my childhood there, it actually makes me nervous'

‘I construct a scene, and then observe. The final image may be the result of my observation and feeling'

'an ongoing investigation into the mechanics of photographs, and their ability to both retreat into the personal, and expand to relay collective experiences.’'

“It brings a very romantic feeling whenever I think about this story, and some of the plots left a deep impression on me, so I took some plots from the story for this shoot, as well as some other fascinating entry points from research I did, such as their clothes, or gender identities.”

Liang Shanbo yu Zhu Yingtai "Reading the Revolution - Late 20th Century Chinese Graphic Novels

'Zhu Yingtai, daughter of a prominent family, disguises herself as a young man, leaves home and goes off to school where she both achieves notable academic success and falls in love with fellow student Liang Shanbo. Studies finished, before returning home she tells Liang to call on her parents to ask for her “younger sister” in marriage, but when he arrives, he finds she is already affianced to the son of the wealthy Ma family. Liang dies of heartbreak, and when her wedding procession is interrupted by a thunderstorm while passing his tomb, she abandons her palanquin (sometimes boat), flees to the grave, which opens up to allow her to join her beloved. Souls transformed into butterflies, the two flutter off into eternity.'

‘How desire is validated’

• Collecting - how do we assign value to material possessions

• The care or carelessness that we attribute to our objects

'consumption' - why do humans feel the need to over consume - even when something has little to no value - the idea of value - What does value mean - sentimental value/economic value/historical value

‘transition area between urban and rural landscapes’

‘Observation and interference ‘

'the ability for it to bring about short-term pleasure while at the same time providing a distraction from the outside world'

'unexpected narratives through the manipulation of objects in space'

“We wanted to decompose the normal protocol of how one would subconsciously consume” - Sarah Piegay Espenon

‘new meanings out of disparate objects, bodies and situations.’

‘Children learn or satisfy curiosity about their collecting domain, satiate a passion for the objects which are desired, want to differentiate themselves from others, and desire to associate with others, especially family and friends.  

child consumers had an estimated $9 billion income in 1989, but influenced purchases of over $132 billion

children have a substantial amount of spending power, which is particularly significant because almost all of their income and influence goes toward discretionary purchases.

Schiffer, Downing, and McCarthy (1981) found that just over 60 percent of the households which they surveyed had at least one collection, with the average of 2.6 per household. 

child consumers and their motivations for collecting:

with age and the acquisition of a sense of value, often derived from stamp collecting, a child shows in miniature the psychological pressures that urge its parents to collect....as in the case of adults, more attention should be paid to the motives that oblige people to find an emotional outlet in art (or any other form of collecting)

the motives with which the collecting process is approached and the task effects of the process aid children in their developmental process and in their search for identity.

It is both a familiarity with the river's hoard and the unpredictability of its yields that keep me mudlarking.

I have to remind myself that what constitutes a history-hunting hobby for me is really scrabbling about for ancient rubbish, from a point of privilege. And when I post images of my finds on Instagram, I feel a little like a cat laying out its catch. But the sound of the water, and the swell of the tide always tempt me back. By the river, London's history is tangible at a time when the future feels more uncertain than ever.

- My childhood, I would dig for the scraps of pottery buried in my grandparents garden and on our towns river bed

- How this relates to Neurodiversity - the strength of attachment to these miscellaneous, useless items - the psychology behind that

'transition area between urban and rural landscapes'

For some ASD individuals, the items themselves are not uncommon for a collection, but the strength of the attachment is striking. One individual may say that parting with even one of the objects would feel like "a death in the family." And indeed, they may seem more attached to the objects that they are to the people in their life.

'violent and fierce images and scenes that are continuously happening on the street'

'the subtly surreal or uncanny'

Growing up in a small seaside town just south of Tokyo, Japan - a place where things grow and things decay to nourish new lives, and where people wonder and discover something new.

Publisher: Same Paper

• made with pieces selected from the Thames Foreshore

• I have attributed a new meaning to these disregarded objects upholding a level of care while going through the process of selecting them, washing them, categorising them and constructing them

Giving new value and meaning to something that no longer has any

by Jeff Scher (Director) and Revoir Video

Revoir Video, 2009

A street film based from the perception of the shadow

How can the history of the land and ones heritage be of importance?

Designed and Edited by Loose Joints

Designed and Edited by Loose Joints

'The images are beautiful, but there is an underlying feeling that something bad is about to happen — like watching a tea-cup sway on the edge of a table'

'The mixture between feelings of anxiety and childishness is the point that attracts me' - Yuan

"The book is intentionally meant to feel a bit broken, punctured or off-kilter, and so the sequence reflects that too. You have little bursts of images or moments of deliberate repetition" - Sarah Piegay Espenon (Designer and Editor)

“Everything in the book has an appearance of normality, but something isn’t quite right”

“We wanted to decompose the normal protocol of how one would subconsciously consume”

a space of imagination and play

'The shared sensibilities that enable us to translate objects into meanings compel us to proceed respectfully, seriously, thoughtfully. To do less, or to excuse ourselves when we fall short, devalues not just the enterprise in which folklorists and art historians, academics and curators, students and teachers are engaged but the people who have entrusted us with their work, their art, their need to be heard, and their desire to be understood.'

S. W. Klingensmith

'Piaget studied Animism: Animism means the attributing of life and consciousness to certain inanimate objects' - 'Consciousness attributed to things'

'Whether or not a child attributes consciousness to an object is determined by asking him if the object can feel or is aware or various sorts of stimulation or activity'

'The child who attributes consciousness and life to anything that is in any way active, undamaged, or useful'

• a Childs connection to inanimate objects - in relation to my childhood desire for collecting things from the ground. I 'could not' leave them behind

• Non living things have the desires to think, feel and act like them

• A strong emotional response to non living objects

How do any material items hold value? What is the difference between economic value, historical value or sentimental value? How can this relate to a child like desire to collect found objects.

What does the level of care for these objects say about the level of care that we attribute to the pieces that we already own? When living in a capitalist society we are encouraged to constantly consume the new.

The sculptural hanging mobile is a symbol associated with my childhood. Made out of scraps of pottery, glass and shell, found on the Thames Foreshore, the mobile is designed to be observed, as the objects interact with light and space.

“These individuals have often been documented before, but in a negative light”

“My intention with the project is to show that these are normal individuals with extraordinary passions which make them really happy and content.”

The way that the body interacts with these objects is important, see above the child appears curious of the pencil sculpture in front of him, and you are left wondering if he is the creator of this reconstructed object.

His photographs assign a value and meaning to these everyday items.

His use of fruit in both still life and his fashion campaigns is re-occurring, linking to that of his childhood memories of attending fruit markets in Shanghai.

• What was the history of these objects? What was their original use? How did they end up here?

• How can I give new meaning and purpose to something that once had a purpose but now has little to no value

'I’m always on the hunt for beauty / oddities as I’m walking around or surfing the web. I’m always collecting things and seeing how my collections work in interaction to create new meaning. Every day is an adventure and every artwork a puzzle.'

'Simply re-contextualizing these items in an art / fashion context can elevate them and give them value and purpose.'

If everything is so replaceable, what is the value in what we already have? Why should we give something a second life?

My actions of hand selecting each, washing and cleaning them, sorting them into categories, reassembling them in a new way, is a tactile process, corresponding to the idea that we should take care of the objects that we do have and value them, rather than allowing pieces to become old and forgotten

Exploring peoples relationships with their favourite pieces of clothing. The sentimental value that they hold. Why mending and giving these items a second life can be important to someone

The stories describe the ways in which clothes and cloth become holed, why a damaged sweater or backpack can be emotionally affecting and how mending a garment can unstick a stuck feeling.

“Mending work builds on what is left behind. It’s not replacing, or remaking, or cutting apart and putting back together, instead it is slow work that makes things better. It conjures an unhurried recovery or change. In textiles, the act of mending wear-and-tear, thinning cloth or accidental damage builds on what already exists, anchoring threads and yarn into the robust healthy fabric and filling in the holes or reinforcing the areas that are weak.”

How can a decision be made when the person in question is described as being incapable of deciding for themselves? How can their perspective, and that of their friends and family, be taken into consideration? How can it not be taken into consideration? In each case, the dangers the person faces, as well as the dangers they put others in, have to be weighed up against jeopardizing their freedom.

The perception of these dangers makes a difference. What are acceptable risks, unacceptable ones, and for whom ? Each decision brings into play a combination of experiences, knowledge, perceptions and norms. These “marker objects” beckon, signal, allow stories to be told that are intertwined with the lives of those that suffer, those that care for them, those that love them and live with the uncertainty.