Meet the woman who took 12,795 photos of everything she owns

The woman who’s taken pictures of everything she owns: Photographer puts snaps of all 12,795 of her possessions on display

•  Barbara Iweins, from Belgium,  took photos of everything she owns
• READ MORE:  Wedding photographers reveal the moment they knew the happy couple’s marriage was DOOMED

A photographer who spent four years photographing every single thing she owns has revealed she had ‘no idea’ how much work was involved when she started.

Barbara Iweins, from Belgium, decided six years ago to start taking snaps of everything in her possession, from medicine bottles, old sunglasses to mugs, knives and forks.

The complete work, which consists of 12,795 photos, is the subject of a show at the Cortona on the Move photography festival in Tuscany.

Speaking to the Guardian, the artist said her she made the decision after a divorce which lead to her moving house for the 11th time.   

‘I was exhausted to have all these objects to pack once again. I really wanted to see what it was like – a houseful of objects. I decided to photograph room by room and drawer by drawer. I was putting Post-its on the drawers because I was scared of photographing the same thing again,’ she said.

Barbara Iweins, from Belgium, decided six years ago to start taking snaps of everything in her possession, from medicine bottles, old sunglasses to mugs, knives and forks (a shoe is pictured)

The complete work, which consists of 12,795 photos, is the subject of a show at the Cortona on the Move photography festival in Tuscany. A comb is pictured

Pillows, shoes and bags are among the items that have been snapped 

Dozens of dolls made up part of the display

Masks, toys and trinkets made up hundreds of snaps in the display 

Among the photos are a mix of intimate items, valuable gifts, and every day disposal necessities like medicine,  toilet roll, socks and clingfilm.

Barbara, a mother-of-three, also snapped many of her children’s possessions.

She added that she hopes people realise we ‘hide things we are buying’.

‘Everything is in closets – that’s the thing. I was rediscovering skirts and thinking: ‘I haven’t worn this – it’s really quite nice. Now I’m going to use it and use it’.’ 

She also discovered that 21 per cent  of bathroom objects are metallic, 43 per cent are plastic.

By categorising the items she found that one per cent of her clothes are a colour she hates – purple.

Among the photos are a mix of intimate items, valuable gifts, and every day disposal necessities like medicine, toilet roll, socks and clingfilm 

Old letters were also featured by Barbara 

She also shared photos of her sofa

She also discovered that 21 per cent of bathroom objects are metallic, 43 per cent are plastic

Perhaps more poignantly, she realised just one per cent of her objects are important – and that she can get rid of 99 per cent of them.

‘Most of the objects I really care for are the things I cannot replace,’ she said, adding that she hasn’t bought new clothes in five years.  

‘I’ve had a divorce and I’ve lost a boyfriend to cancer. These objects – the 1 per cent that are important to me and my children – I know they are going to be there. I realised – it’s pathetic, I know – that you can rely on things.,’ she added.

Cortona on the Move international photography festival, Tuscany, runs until 1 October. Katalog is published by Delpire 

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