Beginning in the '90s, Karim Rashid famously claimed that we touch, on average, some 600 objects a day. Now another industrial designer, London-based Paula Zucotti, has released a project where she seeks to reveal exactly what those objects are.
To be clear, Zucotti's project, a photo book entitled Every Thing We Touch, was apparently conducted independently of Rashid's original claim. ID'er and ethnographer Zucotti traveled the world "to find people from an incredible array of ages, cultures, professions and backgrounds. She asked them to document every object they touched in 24 hours. Then she gathered those objects together and photographed them in a single shot."
From a toddler in Tokyo to a cowboy in Arizona, from a cleaner in London to a cloister nun in Madrid, Every Thing We Touch is their story told through the objects they own, consume, need, choose, treasure and can't let go.
If the objects in each shot seem to add up to far less than 600, the disparity is no surprise; in his speeches to us at Pratt, Rashid made it clear that the math included every single doorknob, subway turnstile, windowsill et cetera, things that are not easily trucked down to a photography studio.
This is probably too much to ask, but I think it'd also be neat to see a heat map overlaid on the images depicting the length of time each object was touched for. Looking around at the things I touch every day, I'd like to think I spend the most time touching my dogs, fat stacks of cash or a favorite tool. But I know the truth: The object that clocks the most touch time is this computer I'm typing this entry on. Because here at Core77, we work for you, man!
We won't ask you to send in photos of every single thing you touch in a single day, but what are the top five objects you touch the most? Not counting wearables, mine are, in order:
1. Computer
2. Desk surface
3. Office chair
4. E-cigarette to keep me from smoking
5. Dogs
I'm hoping one of you has a more exciting list.
Zucotti's Tumblr page has more images and information on the book. And according to Wired, although the book is complete, she's still actively seeking more contributors. Lastly, she's got a related video on the project that she plans to release in "another month or so."
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Comments
EVERY THING WE TOUCH - TRAILER from Paula Zuccotti on Vimeo.
Hi Rain,
Mouse
Sounds like we're almost in the same boat, Cano. But, take it from me: Learn to draw using dogs rather than mechanical pencils and your life will be more fun!
It would be really hard to decide where to draw the line of what counts and what doesn't. The thing first looked for in each of those pictures was any kind of chair or couch or even a bed. I think it's safe to say everyone sleeps (or tries to) and no one stands 24 hours a day. I then wondered if cars should count; people and their clothing; water; air...
Jason, I'd definitely be interested!