In-Use
In-Use (out-of-hours) explores how people in Scotland spend time outside work, using objects to tell personal and cultural stories. Each narrative centres on an object, drawing on archival methods to create ‘living object biographies’ that trace its life, use, and meaning over time. The project displays four different activities through a printed format: Borders Hand Ba’, Braemar Mountain Rescue, Doomen (pigeon flyers), and Magic Cycling Club. We spent time building relationships, visiting the locations and people to better understand each story. Each book includes a full interview transcript with personal accounts and interjections from someone closely connected to the pastime.
The books are filled with extended stories and detailed footnotes, printed on bold yellow pages that almost interrupt the main text, offering extra context and depth. The book can be read linearly or through the footnotes as a reference object. Each of the four books can be read separately or screwed together as a single, tangible volume. This aims to reflect the physicality and permanence of the stories and communities we hope to help preserve through design and the sharing of information.
In-Use is an ongoing collaboration between Meg Waterston and Leon Caddick.
