Friday 15 July 2011

Look Out: Days of our Lives

When I shave, I use this mirror, 1972-...
JAY MCCAFFERTY




Recently, 365 projects have become popular, possibly in part due to a proliferation of digital technology which assists in the gathering and presentation of data. In 2010 Jen Beckman created a blog called A Collection A Day detailing her collections. Noah Scalin is currently working on a Make Something 365 project where people can submit their own 365 projects for inclusion. His previous Skull-A-Day project ended in June 2008. Dutch artist Marcel van Eeden embarked on a daily drawing project several years ago inspired by crime reporting in his local newspaper, some of which can be seen here. While not strictly a 365 Project, Bill Keaghy's Sad Chairs is an intriguing study of chairs, some discarded and many unloved. The series illustrates how a clear focus on a subject, in this case mundane chairs, can transform images into a body of work with great appeal. Californian Jay McCafferty has been documenting his daily grooming habits since 1972 in his ongoing project When I shave, I use this mirror. The stills above show changing hair fashions as he shaves around his moustache. The 365 model is a great way to get started and to be surprised at how quickly a body of work can emerge from something that may at first seem uninteresting.