My visual essay, “Gift or Garbage? Poetic Ambiguities of an Everyday Practice”, has just been published in the inaugural issue of Everyday Life: International Journal of Public Culture, Art and Design.
Boxes and objects marked Gratis zum Mitnehmen (‘free to take away’) may be familiar sights in Swiss cities. Yet, on closer inspection, this ordinary practice raises important questions about value, care, ownership, waste, and public space.
Drawing on ‘incidental ethnography’ during everyday walks through Basel, the article explores the grey areas between gift and garbage — and considers how this small, informal practice can also become a creative force in shaping the city.
Read the article here.
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