The project investigates and reinterprets the photo series taken in 1997-98 by Brian Rybolt, titled Golborne Shops and Portraits. The contraption examines the character of Golborne Road through two interactive objects which refocus the perspective of visitors to specific moments, interactions and observations which reflect the character and life of the people occupying Golborne Road that may otherwise go unnoticed.

The image I have chosen to drive this project was taken by Brian Rybolt as part of a series documenting the shops of Golborne Road. Alongside this photo are 35 others, each documenting the current shops with the employees in the close foreground, so close that their legs are cut off. The image series seems to have a primary focus on the people working within the shops and the shop interiors themselves, personifying the street and lending a sense of character. The framing occupies a large portion of the street and often presents an informal furniture arrangement. All 36 photos share a long depth of field that allow for a clear view straight into the shops, seeming sharp and animated. Near consistent lighting between interior and exterior creates a sense of spilling over, where the shop's interior has become part of the public street, this gives us as viewers a direct link to the goings on and atmosphere within each shop. To situate my project within the street, I have chosen the image of Lisboa Patisserie. Being a long-standing icon of Golborne Road, the modest setting allows for casual interactions and an approachable atmosphere.

The devices divert attention to areas where the public reside. Demanding participation, the interactive handles, levers and mechanisms allow the mirrors to form an adjustable periscope-like view focusing on the small, everyday moments that define the street. This offers a new way of perceiving the everyday around yourself. Subtle, often overlooked moments become pivotal keystones in the way that the object is interacted with. These moments could be a series of stools where people sit on the street and drink wine, a window where someone can be seen making their morning coffee, but also to spaces where people interact, material signs of wear or decay, repair and change. All aspects which show an evolving and occupied public space. The mirror becomes a mediator between the object and site, the viewing devices change our relationship to space and our surroundings, disrupting and reframing.