Final Project

My self directed project investigates my workplace through photographic documentation. I have worked as a custodian for the past three years at Stout and during the summer at my local school system. I have come to discover that the job requires an essence of solitude and alienation, which I have chose to highlight through the photographs. The series is titled: Custodial Closet, which highlights the relationships between the personal space and the necessities associated with the job. I have juxtaposed the quirky aspects of making a space feel more like home amongst a clutter of cleaning products. Little narratives appear in places where they seem out of place. It is this aspect of the custodial closet that sparks my curiosity and urges me to photograph the setting. The photographs act as a closer look into the strange world of full time cleaning. I like to take time to slow down and notice things that spark my attention. The photographs spark questions through the images depicted and together act as a series of unveiling the ordinary and making it extraordinary.

The class enjoyed my photographs, but they were most interested in the image of the hanging ceramic figure. I also found this photo to be the most interesting, but I didn't know if it would have enough visual information to act on its own. I think if I were to show the photograph alone, it may come off as morbid, which was not my original intention. Overall, I am happy with the way the images turned out. I enjoy the blur and filter as it adds to the nostalgic, stumble upon quality of the photos.