Lost Gloves

Ever started a project that felt like some kind of peculiar obsession? Or is it just the process part of making art?

Jeff Youngstrom at Mad Times photographed lost gloves. “I took a picture of a lost glove on January 9th 2003 almost by accident. Then I saw another one in almost the same spot so I shot it too. Then things kind of got out of control.” Maybe, but in May of 2007, “yours truly will be showing photographs of lost gloves at the Kung Fu Club at 185 Front Street North. Please do introduce yourself to the nice long-haired bearded man with the strange pictures should you happen to come by.” Not. Too. Shabby.

A map of the locations of lost gloves becomes essential.

And just when you think that you really have gone crazy, you get “an email a couple days ago from a woman from Dortmund who spent 3-1/2 months in Denmark and took 150 lost glove pictures while she was there! Amazing variety both in setting and style of glove. Thanks, Anita!” Ah, the awesome power of peer support!

Others begin collecting and writing poetry to lost gloves. And others show you a cool lost glove photograph. And you learn things like mittens are lost gloves too.

Lost your glove in Pittsburgh? Check out One Cold Hand.

An Entirely Unscientific Social Research Project.

Jeff Youngstrom’s blog, Mad Times, and his Lost Gloves Flickr pages.

Enjoy!