At some point in our lives we’ve all received a gift or heirloom of some kind from a loved one. It could have been an object, a set of photographs or even an old tool kit. Have we, however, given much thought to its impact in our lives, and have these items shaped who we’ve become? Photographer Joakim Blockstrom has made it his mission to investigate this, in the form of The Heirloom Project – collection of stories and photographs of our treasured possessions. So I had to ask, how did The Heirloom Project come about?
“I started thinking about how we increasingly trust computers to hold our photo albums, music and books, as well as buying mass produced furniture and clothes which has little chance of holding up against time. How would this affect our heritage. I know that my father has put together fantastic photo albums from when my siblings and I grew up, which will give my children an idea of my past and therefore their history. I then became more and more interested in looking at the relationship between the object, the giver and the receiver and the significance of that.”
The project is very much underway with charming and funny stories from art directors, nutritionists, publishers and students, all accompanied by beautiful photos of their heirlooms. From hedgehogs made out of socks to police whistles, each object has somehow influenced the owner’s choices in life. The Heirloom Project is set to carry on developing, Joakim is in no rush to deadline it and says it’s lots more interesting growing the collection. A book and exhibition is sure to follow, which given the subject matter, will no doubt pull at a few heart strings.
