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By: Max Olijnyk
Date: 22nd Sep 08
Medium: Photography
Drink: Long neck in a paper bag
What:
Matthew Sleeth, Pattern Recognition
Where:
Sophie Gannon Gallery, 
2 Albert St, Richmond
Citywide as part of MIAF (billboards, tram stops etc)
When:
Gallery: Oct 9-25, Tue-Sat 11am-5pm
Streets: Oct 9-25, 24 hours
How much:
Free
For years, I've noticed solitary gloves on the ground in winter. They fascinate me, lying there frozen in their final gestures, wet, hand-shaped blankets begging the question, how did they get there? Dropped from a handbag while fumbling for a tram ticket on the way to a job interview, discarded on the spot in favour of a new pair received as a gift, or perhaps something slightly more sinister? A pair would make sense, but it's always just one. Every time I see one of these gloves I think, I should take a photo of that.
Well, Melbourne-based photographer Matthew Sleeth had a similar idea, only his was about umbrellas. And he actually took the photos. Maybe that's why he's a famous photographer. Anyway, the images as a series evoke the multitude of narratives weaving their way around a city on any particular day, as well as making a strong point about mass-produced waste.