Everyday objects
For the last 10 years, Mary Jo Hoffman has been photographing the objects she finds every day, without exception. Her 275 best photographs have been brought together in an art book.
On January 1st, 2012, Mary Jo Hoffman began a ritual: every day, she would photograph a new object. Often natural, sometimes from everyday life. This approach has enabled her to create an archive of over 4,400 photographs. This daily ritual allows her to reveal the importance of place, the passage of time, the interconnectedness of all things and the trajectory of her own life.
Blue jay wing © Mary Jo Hoffman
Crow feathers pair © Mary Jo Hoffman
Mallard feather with raindrops © Mary Jo Hoffman
Icicles on the eaves © Mary Jo Hoffman
In Seventy-Two Microseasons of the North, Mary Jo Hoffman appropriates an ancient Japanese approach to time and the seasons. The year is divided into 72 five-day periods. In her book, the photographs are arranged according to this division. She gives each part a name and a description, establishing a personal calendar based on observing - and photographing - the objects she obtains.
Red sumac leaves © Mary Jo Hoffman
Ring of fire, smoke bush leaves © Mary Jo Hoffman
Milkweed wreath on black © Mary Jo Hoffman
Milkweed © Mary Jo Hoffman
STILL: The Art of Noticing (Pre-order), by
Mary Jo Hoffman will be published on 18 April 2024
