Carriageworks, together with Visual Arts Partner BresicWhitney, have commissioned Sydney photographer Daniel Boud to photograph ten inspirational Sydney-siders with their personal collections.

A yak’s head, giant marbles and pewter goblets are among the objects featured in the new series.

The collections reveal a lot about the character of the people in the portraits. The first photos released show a swag of Australian paraphernalia carefully amassed by artist Abdul Abdullah; art collected by chef Kylie Kwong and off-cuts from resin artist Louise Zhang.

“I collect and use nationalist memorabilia in my work as signifiers of difference. The Southern Cross and Union Jack in recent contexts has become as much about what and who it doesn’t represent, as much as what it does. Nationalism is a strange thing in that it appeals to the most common denominator. Everybody comes from or lives somewhere, so we’ve all got somewhere we can claim to be proud of. These symbols have become signifiers of rejection for large sections of the Australian community.” Featuring artist Abdul Abdullah. Commissioned by Carriageworks and Visual Arts partner BresicWhitney, photography by Daniel Boud.

The ten images to be released via Instagram will challenge viewers to unearth a more thoughtful side of Sydney. They are curious and off-beat photos, that invite the viewer to step inside the private worlds of 10 public characters. Audiences following the series will also be asked to contribute their own photos of people and collections as part of a competition, by posting their images to the photo-sharing platform over the next 4 weeks tagging @carriageworks @bresicwhitney #TheThingsILove❤

Photographer Daniel Boud says the most interesting shoots were with those whose collections had formed very slowly.

“A lot of people started their collection when they were quite young. The best collections were the ones that took place over a long period of time, where the subject almost didn’t realize they had a collection until 20 years later. I think that’s really quite charming. For example Will Edwards from Archie Rose enjoyed bringing out his marble collection because of all of the memories connected to it. Will is always talking about sophisticated gin and whiskey, but on our shoot he got to be reminded about the joy of his marble collection,” Boud says.

“When creating my new Billy Kwong restaurant it was important to me that the space was filled with energy and soulfulness. I have collected these artworks over the years, they are especially close to my heart because they remind me of how important the spiritual dimension is in life. Nell’s hand-blown glass ghosts reflect past lives, my treasured Tibetan yak skull reminds me of the nature of impermanence and my statue of Kwan Yin, the Goddess of Compassion, is like having my mother by my side. I’m privileged to be able to hang artworks by my favorite Australian artists such as Nyapanyapa Yunupingu and Martin Sharp, and my wooden angel takes care of all of us.” Featuring chef, author and Carriageworks ambassador Kylie Kwong. Commissioned by Carriageworks and Visual Arts partner BresicWhitney, photography by Daniel Boud.

Boud who shot all ten portraits says he also loved being invited into the homes and studios of his subjects, including that of architect Penelope Seidler and musician Lizzie Tillman.

“The best was Seidler’s home, which is this house in Killara that’s a perfect, multi-story building with a stunning interior and period furniture,” says Boud who shot Seidler with her collection of miniature monuments. “I felt that Penelope was this big god-like figure with her miniature city in front of her.”

“By contrast musician Lizzie Tillman who I shot with her collection of pewter goblets, lives in this amazing house in Surry Hills. I stepped into it and I just couldn’t believe there are places that still exist like this is Surry Hills – it is just so ramshackle. It is an old freestanding house that hasn’t seen any renovation in 20 years. It is full of all these old musicians floating around, with people playing acoustic guitars in the backyard,” says Boud.

“When I was 18, I moved out of home for the first time. Contemplating my newfound freedom, I realised that I owned nothing to decorate my space with. So, like any young person, without factoring in my next grocery shop, I went op shopping. Amongst my purchases were 3 pewter goblets.  A few years later I noticed an engraving on one that said “Happy 18th”. I like the idea of owning a discarded sentimental object that may have once held meaning for someone else. I collect these artefacts, but I suppose I am really collecting lost messages sent from a stranger years before.” Featuring Tees Dance Group front woman Lizzy Tillman. Commissioned by Carriageworks and Visual Arts partner BresicWhitney, photography by Daniel Boud.

Boud who has shot big names from all over the world including portraits of actors and musicians for Rolling Stone, NME, The Sydney Morning Herald, Dazed and Confused, Nylon and dozens more, says the project was both exciting and challenging. “The artist Abdul Abdullah was probably my favourite to shoot because there was a conversation between us and we were actually thinking about what it meant to display things in a certain way and how people would read the image. If you see the image of him and you don’t understand the context you could wonder ‘What the hell is going on here?’ Is the guy a real Australian patriot who just loves Australian paraphernalia? Or is he poking fun at the people who wave the Aussie flag in a borderline racist way? I love this image because it’s the type of image to make people stop and force them to think about what the message of the picture is.”

Sydney photographer and artist Daniel Boud.

Entrants submit their photographs on Instagram with the hashtag #TheThingsILove❤ addressing the handles @Carriageworks and @BresicWhitney. The competition will conclude on 7 December 2015. The winner of the #TheThingsILove❤ competition will receive a 10 year Carriageworks Friends Membership worth $1,000 and an original photographic print by Daniel Boud.