Moss and Fog
Barbara Iweins’ Œuvres project — a six-year obsession in which the Brussels-based photographer documented every single one of her 12,795 possessions, asking what we keep, what we forget, and why we hold on at all
In Photography

Woman Painstakingly Photographs and Catalogs Her Every Possession

We all own a lot of stuff. Even those living minimally have hundreds of individual objects and belongings that make up their everyday lives.

But we’ve never seen it all catalogued or neatly arranged before.

Belgian photographer Barbara Iweins took pristine photos of every single object she owns, and carefully cataloged them by size, color, material, and what items she might save in a fire.

The resulting project is vast, with 12,795 objects, ranging from pants to plates to comic books.

A collage of various everyday objects, including clothing, tools, toys, and household items arranged in a grid pattern.
A mere taste of the nearly 13,000 personal objects that Barbara Iweins catalogued.

Her website showcases the entire range of objects, and takes quite a while to load whole doing so.

We love how cleanly the objects are photographed and organized, making even ordinary objects feel special.
A collection of various household items displayed in a grid format, featuring predominantly green, black, and other colored objects. Items include containers, tools, decor, and accessories.
Objects sorted by color. In this case, green.
A custom-made ring featuring a turquoise stone and a small gemstone.
A few objects from her “What I would save in a fire” collection.

It’s a fascinating project, and makes us reflect on our own possessions, what they mean, and why.

Photographs © Copyright Barbara Iweins. Via Kottke:

Author

Ben VanderVeen is the founder and editor of Moss & Fog, one of the web’s longest-running visual culture destinations. Since 2009, he’s been finding and framing the most beautiful, surprising, and thought-provoking work in art, architecture, design, and nature — reaching over 325,000 readers each month. He lives in Portland, Oregon.

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3 Comments

  1. Pingback: Belgian Photographer Creates Extensive Catalog of Personal Possessions - KillBait Archive

  3. Gary J Deslaurier

    I know folks who do this with their children’s artwork as it keeps a record of their years without the storage 🙂

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