Just like last week’s class, this week we once again had to go out and take pictures, but this time it is of like-objects, similar to that of Martin Parr’s Remote Scottish Postboxes. Our initial ideas were either doors or tram stops but as we walked around, Ben suggested that the cement bollards might be a good idea. I didn’t pay much attention to these bollards but I noticed it enough to know where I have seen it around.

 

     

 

Ben then continued to tell us the story behind why they set up these cement bollards in the first place: to prevent further terrorist attacks of cars driving into pedestrians. When I heard that, my heart sank a little. The past 2 years of me living in Melbourne, I kept thinking what was the point of having these useless blocks of cement around. It never occurred to my mind that there was a story behind them. From now onwards, I certainly will notice these bollards and appreciate them more often.

 

               

 

Out of all the images of bollards we have managed to capture, one in particular stood out to me (pictured below). I am not exactly sure why, perhaps it’s because of the composition of the picture. A couple of signifiers from this image is the torn paper that is barely hanging onto the bollard and also the graffiti on the bollards. It implies that in general, a big part of our society probably does not know much about these bollards, just like how I used to. As we can infer from this picture, we usually disregard these bollards and carry on with our lives.