Rationed
Stirred by a collection of diaries, bequeathed alongside hand-me-down stories, words and trinkets from a generation before, Jo Pond draws on evocative World War 2 artefacts to craft her own heirlooms. Almost in spite of itself, each static and inanimate object comes to embody the thoughts and energy of the artist, and draws the viewer in; recognition may bring about physical, emotional or intellectual engagement. The interpretation of this story, however, will be determined by the viewer, and Jo Pond embraces the potential for the items created to elicit a broad range of responses, from visitors of all generations.
Domestic bakeware, biscuit and medicine tins serve as visual references for the feminine domestic role of the wartime wife and mother. Leather from old wallets and worn bone tokens reference ‘worth’ in the pre-decimal sense. Materials which no longer hold value beyond their collectability are re-framed to provide the narrative; they become objects with which to tell the stories of wartime women.
Descended from generations of habitual collectors, Jo Pond embraces her legacy, working with misplaced memories to create jewellery and objects which pass on something indefinable, as the women before her passed on genes, mannerisms and traits. The writings of Lily Pond née Liberty, and the materials associated with the period around the Second World War, are incorporated and recreated to continue the line, sharing the essence of stories of the wartime domestic, stories which can no longer be shared by word of mouth.
Stirred by a collection of diaries, bequeathed alongside hand-me-down stories, words and trinkets from a generation before, Jo Pond draws on evocative World War 2 artefacts to craft her own heirlooms. Almost in spite of itself, each static and inanimate object comes to embody the thoughts and energy of the artist, and draws the viewer in; recognition may bring about physical, emotional or intellectual engagement. The interpretation of this story, however, will be determined by the viewer, and Jo Pond embraces the potential for the items created to elicit a broad range of responses, from visitors of all generations.
Domestic bakeware, biscuit and medicine tins serve as visual references for the feminine domestic role of the wartime wife and mother. Leather from old wallets and worn bone tokens reference ‘worth’ in the pre-decimal sense. Materials which no longer hold value beyond their collectability are re-framed to provide the narrative; they become objects with which to tell the stories of wartime women.
Descended from generations of habitual collectors, Jo Pond embraces her legacy, working with misplaced memories to create jewellery and objects which pass on something indefinable, as the women before her passed on genes, mannerisms and traits. The writings of Lily Pond née Liberty, and the materials associated with the period around the Second World War, are incorporated and recreated to continue the line, sharing the essence of stories of the wartime domestic, stories which can no longer be shared by word of mouth.
"Tuesday, 23 January 1940 – Made some cakes. Early to bed."
Brooches and neckpiece: Repurposed steel tin, steel, iron, leather, celluloid, coin, counter.
Brooches and neckpiece: Repurposed steel tin, steel, iron, leather, celluloid, coin, counter.
"Saturday, 3 February 1940 – Not feeling too good. Hilda and I both felt sick. Mum’s to dinner. George and I spent evening at home."
Set of brooches: Repurposed steel tin, steel, iron, leather, gemstones, silver, celluloid, bone.
Set of brooches: Repurposed steel tin, steel, iron, leather, gemstones, silver, celluloid, bone.
"Monday, 26 February 1940 – Stayed Home. Tuesday, 27 February 1940 Stayed Home. Wednesday, 28 February 1940 Stayed Home & did some knitting."
Neckpieces: Repurposed steel tin, steel, iron, leather.
Neckpieces: Repurposed steel tin, steel, iron, leather.
"Tuesday, 9 April 1940 – Ess came to doctors with me & he says we are definitely to have a little addition. Germany invaded Norway."
Buttonhole brooches: Repurposed steel tin, steel, iron, leather.
Buttonhole brooches: Repurposed steel tin, steel, iron, leather.
"Thursday, 13 June 1940 – George went for his medical. He had tea & my bath ready for me. Letter from Ben. I went to doctors, he says baby will be born on 22nd November. George got tea ready and we went to club."
Brooches: Repurposed steel tin and flower cutters, steel, iron.
Brooches: Repurposed steel tin and flower cutters, steel, iron.
"Thursday 20th June 1940 – Letter from Len & Elsie. I wrote to them. Went down to mum’s and Mrs Pond’s. Saw George Foster. he looks quite fit. George came to meet me."
Set of brooches: Repurposed steel tin, steel, iron leather.
Set of brooches: Repurposed steel tin, steel, iron leather.
"Monday 14th October 1940 – 12o/c George and I went to Penwith. 2.25. 7o/c till 5.30. Very bad raid over Wandsworth. 8 bombs dropped."
Objects, Set of decorated bakeware: Baking tins, recycled silver.
Objects, Set of decorated bakeware: Baking tins, recycled silver.
"Sunday, 15 December 1940 – Stayed home. Air raid 10.30 till 10.15. David cried all night."
Wall-piece: Re-purposed tin, steel, paper, pigeon bone in ID tag.
Wall-piece: Re-purposed tin, steel, paper, pigeon bone in ID tag.
Set of brooches: Repurposed steel tin, steel, sweets.
Brooch: Repurposed steel tin, silver, stones, thimble.
Brooches: Flower cutters, recycled tin.
Lily Pond, nee Liberty, was born in Morden, Surrey.
Mother to two boys and grandmother (Nanny) to three grandchildren, she disliked her wonderful name, choosing to be known as ‘Nicky’ Pond. Lily was married to George. They were born on the same street, bathed side by side as babies and grew up to marry, spending the rest of their lives together.
Lily loved pin-curls, as depicted in the photograph within the collage above. She kept hold of everything and anything useful and the suspender clips were amongst the items found in her sewing box, after she died.
Lily created the most wonderful poetry treasure hunts, typed on her trusty typewriter and often over-typed to correct. These slips of paper were hidden around her house to the joy of her grandchildren, who would be rewarded at the end with some trinket or another, often sourced from her travels with George.
It is the life depicted through the diaries of Lily, which were saved and stored in empty cigar boxes and passed onto her granddaughter Jo, which have inspired this body of work.
Mother to two boys and grandmother (Nanny) to three grandchildren, she disliked her wonderful name, choosing to be known as ‘Nicky’ Pond. Lily was married to George. They were born on the same street, bathed side by side as babies and grew up to marry, spending the rest of their lives together.
Lily loved pin-curls, as depicted in the photograph within the collage above. She kept hold of everything and anything useful and the suspender clips were amongst the items found in her sewing box, after she died.
Lily created the most wonderful poetry treasure hunts, typed on her trusty typewriter and often over-typed to correct. These slips of paper were hidden around her house to the joy of her grandchildren, who would be rewarded at the end with some trinket or another, often sourced from her travels with George.
It is the life depicted through the diaries of Lily, which were saved and stored in empty cigar boxes and passed onto her granddaughter Jo, which have inspired this body of work.
For Annie Davidson and Lily Pond, my Grandmas, Glenthorpe Road & Woodville Road, Morden, South London, 1940
You sat
In the cupboard under the stairs
Babe at heel, babe at breast
Babe on lap, babe to be
Waiting and listening
In prayer
The stairs were your Anderson
You left, when the door blew in
4o/c, 5 o/c 8 ‘til 4.30
Raids logged like shorthand
As you sat
Shared shelter visits
Interspersed with daily rituals
The dining table limits
A safe haven for three
Lest we forget
Your kin ran across the Bridge of London
Hands above heads
Bombs falling around them
You pawned jewels for food
Knitted socks with next door
And looked to the garden gate
Longingly
For son and husband, post war
Now, just whispers of memories of stories
And jaded diary pages
Corroborated by archives
We sit together
Through hand-me-downs
Stored in diamonds
And trinkets
And pointless belongings in boxes
A suitcase of photos of unnamed faces
Tins of oddments with browned sticky tape labels
And your handwriting
Inherited blood and belongings
We’ve touched the same items
Displayed the same mannerisms
Echoed shared experiences
When our line ends
We will no longer repeat the same habits
No longer pass down the same genes
Or the desire to hoard
We will leave collectively
A legacy in objects - Jo Pond
In May 2018, the exhibition 'Rationed' toured to LA Joaillerie par Mazlo – Paris, where it was beautifully curated by Celine Robin. The exhibits, being mainly made of steel, were located within exquisite showcases and held in place with hidden magnets. The works were juxtaposed with images from WW2 and each showcase displayed daily excerpts from the 1940 diary of Lily Pond. You can see images of this exhibition on the Rationed Exhibition Page.
