Function, No Function is the result of a live brief with the National Art Library in the V&A Museum. Using only the research material found within the NAL I was then tasked to construct a visual outcome within 6 weeks.

I took inspiration from the works of Celia Lurys ‘Prosthetic Culture’ and Richard Dorsons ‘Folklore and Folklife’ wherein they similarly discuss themes of artefacts, their ability to fix objects in time, and their differences to art. I then created a clinical display of fabricated modern-day artefacts - one having a predominating practical function, and one completely without. Visually I was struck by the way in which such artefacts were documented in the historic books kept in the NAL, high contrast and texture on a completely white background.

This single image piece, ‘Function, No Function”, plainly highlights what is documented as artefact and what is seen as art. Something that has shaped human history and a visual reminder of how we got here today and yet is only separated by one thing, “function”.

A huge thank you to the NAL team, the V&A, and AUB for this experience.