This box showcases my love of natural objects and shiny objects. I spend a lot of time outdoors, birdwatching, taking photographs, looking for interesting natural objects which I then pair with glitter/glass/other shinies.
The inside of the phone box I was assigned was a challenge to work with (wires, metal frames and ledges projecting out unevenly), so my husband, Doug Biggs, built a wood box that I could decorate at home and then slide into the original phone box on site.
When Doug finished installing our piece, we stood nearby (enjoying our slices from Highland Pizza) and watched people walk by the graffiti'ed, rusty phone box they have walked by forever, and then do a doubletake, circling back to look at the shiny shell flowers and sea glass inside, pulling out their cell phones to take and share a photo.
The surprise of public art in abandoned phone boxes is my favorite part of this project. I loved the juxtaposition of the exterior of the box--faded paint, rust, graffiti--and the bright, shiny interior. The proprietor of Highland Pizza, Ahmed Sheikh, however, was not happy to see the graffiti remain--which I found to be an interesting illustration of different perspectives. Doug and I were focused on the whole of the art piece, and how the exterior set up the surprise of the interior, but the business owner's priority was to have something that "looked nice." Out of respect for his wishes, I went back the following week and painted the exterior---
Jude Griffin
