A Common Treasury : The Shoebox Files

The shoebox files began their life in Edinburgh when Kat was studying at the College of Art; they were initially a way of keeping archive images collated in relative safety. It has not always been clear why the archive has developed just that it had to do so. Over time the archive has grown and categories have emerged. The images are still stored in the shoebox files but now they can also be viewed here online in a much easier to access format.

Material in the shoebox files is broadly titled "A Common Treasury" and is categorised in order to present some of the daily occupations, concerns, and celebrations of (mainly but not exclusively British and rural) life. The archive reflects the ways in which people negotiate their lives through celebration and through complaint as documented in our throwaway paper based media particularly local newspapers.

Of course the Common Treasury cannot and certainly does not pretend to represent everyone or everywhere (yet!); however, there are universal themes and interests to be detected amongst the specific events. These files grow and adapt as the local news adapts; throughout the categories the interested visitor can seek glimpses of the ways our communities negotiate contemporary life and honour tradition as we live lives woven through with both continuity and change.