Image © Tom Hunter
I was reading the Big Issue yesterday, and suddenly did a double-take when I saw this picture. It’s from the “Travellers” series by Tom Hunter, who has several current exhibitions in London and around Europe.
When I was at University I harboured a sort of a romantic notion that I would somehow land a lovely job with a publisher in London, and live in a tiny little flat which I would paint purple. Sadly none of those things materialised in the end, but this picture is extraordinarily close to my imaginary living space.
Occasionally Paul and I will discuss the possibility of getting rid of all our belongings, and living a more minimalist lifestyle. We both like the idea of Container City, and I am madly love with these pod houses, by Eco Hab. They look like something Wallace and Grommit might build!
Usually we end up shaking our heads sadly – we’ve already built a twelve foot square shed in the garden because my sewing had drastically outgrown the house, and one look at our bookshelves will tell you that we don’t really know the meaning of the word “minimal”.
In spite of my over-developed hoarding tendencies, I do sometimes think it might be incredibly freeing, to just get rid of all the things we collect and hold on to but don’t really need. There’s so much unnecessary consumerism in this world that it might be nice to somehow step outside it and start again.