Proof of Purchase
Proof of Purchase questions the medium of receipt paper as a form of monoprint. I unearthed deeper meaning rooted in these ephemeral objects and images by heating, soaking, and folding receipts I had collected. Notions of memory, nostalgia, place, and identity permeated these altered spaces. As a community initiative, I asked others to share their receipts. Together we created a series of obfuscatory collective memories punctuated by monetary exchange. Proof of Purchase unveiled the intertwined economic and social forces scaffolding individual lives. This series expands the genre of monoprints to include modes of thermal, chemical, and mechanical alteration; potential works of art in the hands of millions of people across the world.
11"x15"
Receipt Paper, Chine-Colle, Ethanol
"As opposed to Modisett’s work, Grant Akiyama’s “Receipt #010” and “Receipt #018” take advantage of remarkably familiar everyday material. Akiyama’s receipts floating on a clean, white background accentuate the textures of crinkled pieces of paper that one might find at the bottom of a backpack, transforming them into a mirror-like surface that reflects a moment in time--like receiving proof of an everyday transaction. With the crumpled receipts mimicking the physical contours of topography, Akiyama’s work also addresses the subjective experience of the landscape through daily schedules and routines."
-Rachel Hausmann Schall