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{Point of Reference  #1} . . . {Point of Reference #2}

Olivier Assayas‘ Summer Hours shows the simultaneously solemn, humorous, and emotional introspection that occurs when one has to decide how to deal with the belongings of a recently deceased loved one. It questions the true value of objects and examines attachments to material things. It’s a quiet, thoughtful movie that moved me so much that I found it difficult to hold back tears when recounting the story to a friend.

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Objectified, on the other hand, touches on sentiment, but focuses more on the utility, efficacy, and aesthetic of objects. Gary Hustwit, the design-focused filmmaker who aimed his camera at Helvetica two years ago, now turns his attention away from typography and towards industrial design. He speaks with some big names in the field who offer their historical knowledge and philosophical outlook on the subject. It was clever, enlightening, and certainly gave me a deeper appreciation for the potato peeler. (Seriously.)

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Since watching these films I’ve been absorbed with material objects. I’ve thought about my own — what I love, what I’ve paid loads for, what affection and memory won’t let me part with, etc.  This got me thinking about my friends and their possessions — particularly those whose interests have led to the accumulation of a lot of… stuff. So I asked them about it. And they told me about it…