This week’s Object of Wonder, a still-functioning relic of a previous era, helped photographer Tom Potisit retrace his creative steps while reconnecting with his childhood home.
The simple (by today’s standards) analog Olympus AF-1 Twin, produced in 1988, was the camera that captured childhood memories and family moments in the hands of Tom’s mother.
“I don’t have a background in photography—and photography was not something I was interested in when I was younger. But I grew more interested in it, along with other fields of art, when I got older. This Olympus AF-1 Twin is the camera which my mother has always used to take our photos since childhood.
“When it comes to the function of photographs we mainly see them as evidence of memories, feelings, or a moment of events. I didn’t even see the importance of photographs until I became a professional photographer working on social and environmental issues. I’ve long been surrounded by professional equipment, until I returned home to live with my mother during COVID-19 in 2020. Since I have more time at home, I took the opportunity to explore all of the old photos taken with this simple camera. My mother decided to give me this camera itself as a gift, since I viewed it as an object that contains great memories and sentimental value. The true meaning of a photograph lies in the story of the image, not the device with which it was taken.
“I plan to incorporate this camera into my professional work in the future, and retain that connection to where I began my photographic journey”.
Tom Potisit’s photographic and sculptural work centres on environmental issues, such as his various installations at Wonderfruit. The Little Monsters and The Bigger Monsters, shown as part of an pollution-awareness performance in The Fields, incorporate marine waste and plastic detritus into colorful, three meter-long puppets.
We’ve asked artists, designers, creators, and creatives to share images of objects that spark wonder—artworks, tools, heirlooms, and oddities that carry meaning and tell a story. Individuals from all over the Wonderfruit universe have supplied storied items for our new feature: #ObjectsOfWonder.