Introducing a collection of minimalist NFTs, available through OpenSea (link) on the Polygon blockchain, and printable to a width of 30in or 76cm.
This collection was created to fund my aquatic adventures (new wetsuit) and cover the increased cost of living. The actual genesis, created some eleven years ago, was a simple yellow label attached to a pack of Mr Kipling Fruit Pies - reduced to 35p and bought from Tesco in the UK. Recreating this minute “Reduced to Clear” label as a 30in x 20in stretched canvas appealed to me, and kept me busy for a couple of days. It was subsequently entered into the 2011 Open Exhibition at the Ferens Art Gallery in Hull, England, and sold within minutes of the opening. And that was it...
...until now!
The notion that you could easily change and/or swap the colours appealed to me. Accordingly, while most of the 15,625 colour combinations didn’t work, I hope my minimalist collection of 160 variants will appeal to those who want fresh, colourful and printable art on their wall.
While not artistically extravagant or overtly ambitious, what inspired me was the eureka moment - that spark of inspiration which guided the project. Who inspires and motivates me are those who succeed against the odds. The outsider who never gives up and who defeats the doubters, including sometimes themselves.
This collection was created to fund my aquatic adventures (new wetsuit) and cover the increased cost of living. The actual genesis, created some eleven years ago, was a simple yellow label attached to a pack of Mr Kipling Fruit Pies - reduced to 35p and bought from Tesco in the UK. Recreating this minute “Reduced to Clear” label as a 30in x 20in stretched canvas appealed to me, and kept me busy for a couple of days. It was subsequently entered into the 2011 Open Exhibition at the Ferens Art Gallery in Hull, England, and sold within minutes of the opening. And that was it...
...until now!
The notion that you could easily change and/or swap the colours appealed to me. Accordingly, while most of the 15,625 colour combinations didn’t work, I hope my minimalist collection of 160 variants will appeal to those who want fresh, colourful and printable art on their wall.
While not artistically extravagant or overtly ambitious, what inspired me was the eureka moment - that spark of inspiration which guided the project. Who inspires and motivates me are those who succeed against the odds. The outsider who never gives up and who defeats the doubters, including sometimes themselves.
While the original PhotoShop file ended up being archived, and life moved, these yellow labels keep cropping up, almost on a daily basis. For me they represent a mindset - almost a ritual. For most, these yellow labels are only afforded a momentary glance, but for those with limited funds, they are a means to making ends meet.
Truth be known, for some, hunting for yellow labelled bargains is more than a necessity, it has also become compulsive and even entertaining. The thrill of the hunt, if you will. The iconic label, printed on demand in their millions by shop staff across the UK, has now become as much a retail icon as the Tesco Value brand of the 1990s.
Truth be known, for some, hunting for yellow labelled bargains is more than a necessity, it has also become compulsive and even entertaining. The thrill of the hunt, if you will. The iconic label, printed on demand in their millions by shop staff across the UK, has now become as much a retail icon as the Tesco Value brand of the 1990s.
Tesco, like other stores, reduces its fresh produce by 10% in the morning, 50% by late afternoon, and finally by 75% around 7pm. Top of everyone’s list is fresh meat, bread, fruit (berries and grapes being the most sought after) and ready meals.
Around 6.30pm this produce is temporarily removed from the shelves, and reduced one final time. There are usually three teams working behind the scenes, reducing fruit and vegetables, chilled food, and items from the bakery. Back on the shelves, this is when the pushing and shoving begins, and where it can become quite frantic. Sometimes security is called, and it has been known for some over enthusiastic bargain hunters to be escorted from the premises.
There is an etiquette of sorts. Once an item is in your basket it’s yours. Beyond that it’s dog eat dog. Pushing is commonplace, as is using your trolley to block access to the shelves. And the hard working staff. Those who dislike being crushed in the daily scrum need not apply.
As for the bargain hunters themselves, we have our regulars. That couple who always fill their shopping trolley or cart to the top. The Polish guy who likes his grapes, and is chastised for it. There is even a poet who comes more for the company than for the bargains.
Around 6.30pm this produce is temporarily removed from the shelves, and reduced one final time. There are usually three teams working behind the scenes, reducing fruit and vegetables, chilled food, and items from the bakery. Back on the shelves, this is when the pushing and shoving begins, and where it can become quite frantic. Sometimes security is called, and it has been known for some over enthusiastic bargain hunters to be escorted from the premises.
There is an etiquette of sorts. Once an item is in your basket it’s yours. Beyond that it’s dog eat dog. Pushing is commonplace, as is using your trolley to block access to the shelves. And the hard working staff. Those who dislike being crushed in the daily scrum need not apply.
As for the bargain hunters themselves, we have our regulars. That couple who always fill their shopping trolley or cart to the top. The Polish guy who likes his grapes, and is chastised for it. There is even a poet who comes more for the company than for the bargains.
Then there’s me and my sushi.
Obviously Yo Sushi is the best, but the most expensive. There was a time when sushi was “Payday Sushi”. Now that times are hard, it’s “Bargain Sushi”, when a £5.00 pack can be yours for just £1.25. Thankfully it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, and I have been lucky on numerous occasions.
It is interesting to note that most of the regular bargain hunters I have met are middle aged, single men, who regularly attend the 7pm scrum. There’s about a half a dozen of us. The usual crowd.
…and we’re off. Everyone dashes to the fruit and vegetables, as the clatter of plastic containers hit the metal shelves. It’s a scrum. Before too long the fruit disappears. What’s left are bags of cut lettuce, packs of sweaty mushrooms, and plastic pots of potato salad and coleslaw.
Obviously Yo Sushi is the best, but the most expensive. There was a time when sushi was “Payday Sushi”. Now that times are hard, it’s “Bargain Sushi”, when a £5.00 pack can be yours for just £1.25. Thankfully it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, and I have been lucky on numerous occasions.
It is interesting to note that most of the regular bargain hunters I have met are middle aged, single men, who regularly attend the 7pm scrum. There’s about a half a dozen of us. The usual crowd.
…and we’re off. Everyone dashes to the fruit and vegetables, as the clatter of plastic containers hit the metal shelves. It’s a scrum. Before too long the fruit disappears. What’s left are bags of cut lettuce, packs of sweaty mushrooms, and plastic pots of potato salad and coleslaw.
While all this is happening, the chilled items have also been returned, all sporting new labels with 75% off. Another scrummage. More frayed nerves. Do you really need all that fresh meat? What about the rest of us? I’m just content that no one else likes sushi. And the scrum is over. It becomes a way of life - an affordable way to eat. Before long, with all the really good bargains snapped up, the regulars disperse.
"See you chaps tomorrow...?"
While this vista may not be anywhere near approaching Wigan Pier, George Orwell might have found rich pickings amongst the reduced carrots and regular bargain hunters. The reality is that Orwell was a poet. I am not. Accordingly, I am unable to furnish potential buyers an artistic statement of intention or justification for my NFT collection.
Anyone can stand naked, screaming in the middle of Piccadilly Circus with a bucket on their head, but only a true artist can furnish a meaning behind the performance. That’s not to say everyone who stands naked in the middle of a metropolis wearing a bucket is an artist.
While a bucket is just a bucket.
"See you chaps tomorrow...?"
While this vista may not be anywhere near approaching Wigan Pier, George Orwell might have found rich pickings amongst the reduced carrots and regular bargain hunters. The reality is that Orwell was a poet. I am not. Accordingly, I am unable to furnish potential buyers an artistic statement of intention or justification for my NFT collection.
Anyone can stand naked, screaming in the middle of Piccadilly Circus with a bucket on their head, but only a true artist can furnish a meaning behind the performance. That’s not to say everyone who stands naked in the middle of a metropolis wearing a bucket is an artist.
While a bucket is just a bucket.
- To purchase one of my Reduced_to_Clear NFTs - check out my OpenSea page.
- Please contact me if this project interests you - [email protected]
- You can also follow me on Twitter
PLEASE NOTE:
These PNGs are printable to a width of 30in or 76cm. If converted into a vector graphic, you can easily print larger sizes for your home or office.
