Must-haves (2011)
A series created as part of the Self-Led brief in the third year of BA (Hons) Photography at the University of Portsmouth. The project attempts to address the problems surrounding the acceptance of fashion consumerism and the absurd logic that is often used to justify purchases. These items of clothing go unworn at the back of wardrobes or at the bottom of draws.
This series will be shown as part of the Portsmouth leg of the upcoming exhibition for the University of Portsmouth BA(Hons) Photography, ‘Vernissage’.
‘Vernissage’ is part of the University of Portsmouth Summer Show exhibition and will later be exhibited as part of Free Range at the Truman Brewery, Brick Lane.
http://vernissageexhibition.tumblr.com
Ruth Johnston; www.ruthjohnstonphotography.com
+44 (0) 7795465749 Flickr set
“It was in the sale and compared to the original price, it was a bargain. The hood broke quite soon after I bought it and I have been meaning to sew it back together, but I just haven’t. It is so warm though and I can quite easily fix it so it’s not really worth getting rid of it.”
“These have been too big for me for a while and I don’t ever wear them, but what if the chance to do some painting comes up?”
“My mum brought this back for me from Hong Kong. There is just something about it that I really hate. She never lets me get rid of anything though.”
“I don’t think you could just wear this. It’s quite classy and feels like the kind of outfit that you need to wear to an event, to make an entrance. Unfortunately, I don’t have anything special events to attend at the moment.”
“This thing! I was doing some internet shopping and this jumpsuit was delivered by mistake. It was refunded and I was told to return it, but I didn’t. I know that I am never going to wear it so I thought I could sell it, but I probably won’t ever do that either.”
“I dreamt about this dress for such a long time. My boyfriend bought it for me for our first anniversary. I love it, but I got paint on it. No one will notice it but I can’t bring myself to wear it, because of what it means, I can’t throw it away but I’m pretty sure I’m not going to do anything else with it.”
© Ruth Johnston 2011.
Where are your parents from?
A series exploring the identities of half-Chinese British people, sharing their experiences and discussing how it feels to be mixed-race.
“This is not a study, it is an exploration to discover if there are others like me, and if there are others who feel the way I do. It is strange to formally acknowledge my position as a British half-Chinese person. I am happy to be half-Chinese and have something different about me, but I also remember being very unhappy about it too. When I say that my mother is Chinese, which is all people really want to know, I am usually then asked whether I can speak it, when I say, ‘No, but I can understand quite a lot’, I am met with a disappointed, ‘oh’, as though I’m the only person in the world who never learnt Chinese.
I have been picked on and even singled out by people in the street because of the way I look but I am proud of who I am. I do tend to resent the repetitive reaction to wanting to know ‘what I am’ but some people are just curious. I am half-Chinese, I am British and I am embracing exoticism.”
— From introductory text panel to the series.
To eventually be presented as a wall piece with text contributions from each subject underneath.
Rough example;
‘Do Men Even Think About Their Bodies?’
As part of The Body unit.
Looking at ideas surrounding ‘the body’ put into the context of a mock-magazine spread for Company. Interviews with 20-something men about how they feel about their bodies, put into three double-paged spreads.
On Display in Eldon Building Photographic Department (2010-2011)
Please click the images to enlarge.
Cuddle. Relax. Sleep.
Looking at a bed abandoned outside my student house over a period of two weeks. A series about our throwaway society and how objects that were once important to us and provided us with comfort can be ‘chucked’ away and forgotten about, left to deal with the elements.
