Design Federation

The Talisman Project started as a way for me to meet people while travelling. I can be a bit shy and this project kinda forced me to make the effort to talk to people. Traveller conversations usually open automatically with ‘Where are you from, where are you going, where have you been?’. I’d hit people with ‘Did you bring a good luck charm?’ instead and it would lead to an interesting conversation, even from the people who didn’t have a lucky charm. I liked how the question made people think. 

My grandmother had this made for me when she was in Jordan, 10 years ago. (Carolin)

I think holding faith in a talisman is one unifying feature of the human race, it transcends culture, age and gender. I was very scared by the prospect of travelling overseas alone. I’m not a religious person so I couldn’t pray… I bought a couple of stones (blue agate and haematite) from a new age store for luck. Whilst travelling, I became interested in what other people had done to prepare, psychologically, for leaving the security or familiarity of their home country. I wanted some confirmation that I wasn’t alone! So the people I photographed are travellers I met in Chile, Argentina, Spain and Thailand. In Australia, people contacted me after two local newspapers printed some of the images, but mainly I hung out at hostels in Byron Bay and chatted with backpackers.

A woman who worked with my boyfriend made this and gave it to me while we were going through some tough times. (Anja)

I started taking the photos in late 2005. They were published in a newspaper called The Black Sheep, in Patagonian Chile. I forgot about the project when I stopped travelling. A while ago a mate told me if I didn’t try to get published, he would take the idea and run with it. That gave me a bit of a kick up the backside. I widened the concept to include returned servicemen and women, refugees and migrants. I approached some publishers and literary agents, and they want to see more - they like the concept, but (from memory) I was told if an Australian book isn’t about cricket players or crime, it doesn’t sell very well, and I’d have more luck with an American publisher. I was also laughed at when I said I was a graphic designer with an interest in photography… might have to work on a nom de plume and false history…

I’ll keep doing this until I’m satisfied with the collection. At the moment I’m looking into exhibiting the images and designing a book for them. The WIP is on my Flickr account while I make my website. You can see more pics and stories here.

My father gave me this watch, before he died unexpectedly. I always keep it with me. (Alexander)

www.flickr.com/photos/thetalismanproject