“The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance.”
Clearly we see a ton of art, but rarely have we been so instantly drawn in as we were by the photographs of Lost and Found, an artist collective of two. Jim Newbury and Greg Slater, originally ad-agency co-workers now decades-long friends, have amassed an amazing collection of photographs that honor lost objects, found on a series of adventures they have taken across the American South.
Beginning in the mid 80s, Jim and Greg would go on road trips together, surveying the South's folk art meccas, and devoting their leisure time to a mutual appreciation of work by artists like Leroy Almon, RA Miller and Clyde Jones. Their trips consisted of talking in the car, listening to specifically curated music and diving into the culture of the towns they passed through. Jim told stories and struck up conversations with locals, and Greg took photos.
In the early 2000s, they began methodically re-shooting locations originally exposed by photographers they admire: William Christenberry, William Eggleston and Walker Evans to name a few. In addition to capturing American experiences, they picked up interesting objects at antique stores, roadside stands and flea markets. While they had no real agenda setting out, these trips resulted in a plethora of content. The professional affinities of the pair have led to the success of their resulting photos - Jim has an eye for design and direction and Greg has an incredible talent for photographing objects.
As you can see, the work is both elegant and masculine, and lends itself to many different iterations within the hospitality industry and beyond. The work can be presented in numerous ways, on a myriad of substrates, and really has the ability to punctuate a space and provide a narrative element for any design. Every space has a past and there are so many objects still out there to find and shoot.
Enjoy this selection of their photos and their reverence for time-worn objects...the old, the obsolete. Jim and Greg have managed to elevate these simple, often utilitarian objects, to fine art and to celebrate the patina on America's forgotten "stuff." We love their story and look forward to sharing their work whenever possible. Let us know what you think.
