Small world: Local book is a useful record

Usefulness in Small Things is a photographic record of products that designer and Royal College of Art tutor Sam Hecht has gathered from around the world. While the products Hecht has collected may appear exotic or ambiguous to the viewer, each has a specific purpose in the location in which it was purchased.

Each full-page photograph in the book is accompanied by a short description of the object on the opposite page, contextualising the often unusual items. A collection of medical packaging with a syringe turns out to be children’s sweets from Japan and Jordan, and an object that at first glance seems to be a potato crisp, is revealed as a baby teething aid from Italy.

We have previously seen how brands design their products to cater for local markets. For more information see our Anarconomy Decade report.