© 2022 Jonathan Swain. All rights reserved.

Cosy (2009)

“A photograph of a group of postal workers celebrating with another, smaller, indistinct group of people, mainly women, around a large, padded textile object. It is the middle of the night. They drink champagne out of mugs and are shaking hands. It is a simple image of cordial solidarity.”

A special tea break to celebrate the hidden industry of those who work at night. The knitting circle have made a cosy for the post box and are handing it over to the sorting office workers. The postal workers enjoy the break, the attention and thank the knitters for their gesture. An acknowledgement of the long history and future importance of the postal service and those that work in it, treasuring a threatened form of communication. After the break the post box cosy is left in place,  a portent for a further, unexplained rash of copycat knitted cosy actions.

Made with the help of knitting groups and local postal workers. Commissioned by Brighton Photo Biennial.

photo Tom Hickmore
photo Tom Hickmore
photo Tom Hickmore
photo Tom Hickmore

For more details and some insight as to what I was thinking here is a link to the blog I wrote during the construction of the Cosy for ANPublications website.

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