I have always had a bit of a thing for
Bakelite or, polyoxybenzylmethylenglycolanhydride to use its incredibly long scientific name. I think its something to do with the period it comes from, the 20's 30's 40's; fabulous times for fashion, classic black and white cinema and Film Noir, beautiful large and rambling houses. Or maybe its the movie, 'The Carpet Baggers' I watched with my Dad one night, (told me it was the first movie he went to with Mum), I can still part remember the lines about making oodles of money in plastics during the depression "Some were under the clouds but then others flew above them" cut to a DC10 above the clouds flying the wealthiest man in America... heady stuff for a teenage lad! How can you look at a piece of Bakelite and not think of these things? Anyway I happen to have a box of Bakelite light switches, double adaptors, lamp fittings; they have been sitting around way too long, its time for them to go! But not before making some still life shots of a few of the items; and while I don't really think of myself as a still life photographer, I do think these shots look pretty good and I really enjoyed making them. Black and White shots of Bakelite on white background, two classics together. I wonder why it took me so long to get around to making them?
Kent Johnson, Sydney Australia 2012.