Mauricio Alejo Captures The Idiosyncrasies Of Ordinary Objects

The ongoing photography series includes images of stairs hanging from the ceiling, napkins dangling off of table edges and books with pages sticking up into the air. Sometimes through subversion, other times through interesting product placement, Alejo makes his household items feel psychologically uncanny for the viewer. Seeing objects in unusual environments or in unnatural dialogues with each other, individuals are forced to question their dogmatic opinions on space and meaning. With these photographs, Alejo hopes to “bring them [the items] into a new narrative which doesn’t obey their functionality.”

Using apartments he has lived in as the backdrop for his work, the images become a physical collection of his personal memories. They exist as an autobiographical record of Alejo’s time living in New York as a burgeoning photographer. While on their own, these everyday items may have no inherent beauty or appeal, they become fascinating in their randomness and absurdity.