Plastic Bags by Ira James (May 24, 2010) 
(23 votes, average: 3.43 out of 5)
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Introduction by Recommending Viewer
“There’s something wonderful about seeing an object that you never even consider – an everyday, plastic bag – turned into something beautiful and poetic, but that’s what Ira has done, with his Plastic Bags series. That’s one of the great objectives of art, for me – to make you reconsider the ordinary in the light of the extraordinary,” says Philip Toledano, who recommended Ira James to us.
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Our poll "A photo essay always needs a great written story" closed. 267 people voted, 28% agrees, 72% disagrees. 233 people answered our follow-up question "Are you a photographer?" 82% indicated they are, 18% said no. Initially, negative answers to question #1 were almost 100% as was the pecentage of photographers among respondants. Then, when the level of non-photographers started to rise, the percentage of people indicating good text is always essential started to rise too. This seems to indicate that non-photographers think that adding good text to your photo essays is essential. In my opinion: if you want non-photographers to dig your work, you know what to do...
Within this body of work, I am moving from function to abstraction. I took the most common and insidiously prolific objects created for consumption and reworked it’s identity into something abstract, evocative and simple.
Subject to the play of uncontrollable outside forces, the transformation represents infinite possibilities in a finite moment. Each one is as unique and singular in its ability to provoke emotional responses as it is in it’s physical being.
I’ve found that a plastic bag is a perfect signifier for many layers of dialogue and metaphor.
Mass produced and utilitarian, these items are so disposable that they come in and out of our lives with out the slightest notice; only to be discarded or reused for some other purpose.
Cast in this light, I have attempted to re-contextualize them into something greater.
Elevating them from the mundane and transforming them into objects of grace with meaning and power. I sought to capture the kinetic moments of beauty and elegance hidden within.
Like the work I have done in the past, I have created an environment and process that asks questions as well as provides information. Yet in this work I give no answers, but merely allow the work to reflect back to the viewer his own questions of meaning and importance.
Ira James (1978) lives and works in New York City, USA.
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