We’ve always been fascinated by those “What’s in your bag?” features made popular by women’s magazines. Perhaps it’s the voyeuristic thrill of watching someone empty out the private contents of their purse for the entire world to see, or the magical (if not entirely accurate) narrative quality that such items tend to possess for the rest of us. Show us what books someone is toting around, what brand of lip gloss they prefer, what flavor of gum they chew, or what other random items they feel the need to keep close, and we feel like we can tell you exactly who you’re dealing with.
Brooklyn-based photographer Bobby Doherty, whose work we spotted thanks to Art Sponge, puts an interesting spin on the ubiquitous concept, not only snapping an image of each bag’s neatly-displayed contents against a colorful backdrop, but also placing them on a scale. Is there a relationship between the weight of a handbag and the personal belongings it holds? Click through a slideshow of work from the series, and let us know what you think in comments.
Photo credit: Bobby Doherty
Photo credit: Bobby Doherty
Photo credit: Bobby Doherty
Photo credit: Bobby Doherty
Photo credit: Bobby Doherty
Photo credit: Bobby Doherty
Photo credit: Bobby Doherty
Photo credit: Bobby Doherty
Photo credit: Bobby Doherty