Casey Roarty Turns Facebook Marketplace Listings into Art in 'Is This Still Available?'
Graphic designer Casey Roarty launched 'Is This Still Available?', a project that reimagines neglected Facebook Marketplace photos as art. This initiative started when Roarty, who has a background in freelance design at Warner Music, relocated and discovered peculiar yet captivating images characterized by awkward cropping and harsh lighting. He skillfully highlights specific details and incorporates handcrafted elements. The collection showcases various items, including a malfunctioning 65-inch TV, vintage mirrors, a life-sized statue of Marilyn Monroe, and martial arts dummies that appear to be kissing. Inspired by the increasing prevalence of AI, Roarty underscores the significance of the narratives behind the pieces, using the project as a platform for instinctive exploration of unfiltered content.
Key facts
- Casey Roarty is a freelance graphic designer who previously worked at Warner Music and made artworks for bands.
- The project is titled 'Is This Still Available?' and recreates images found on Facebook Marketplace.
- Roarty was inspired by awkward crops, harsh flash, domestic lighting, blurred faces, and heavy compression in listing photos.
- He uses graphic design techniques like cropping, isolating, simplifying, and adding pencil or pastel marks.
- The series includes recreations of a faulty 65-inch TV, wooden toy trains, vintage mirrors, a knock-off G.I. Joe doll, a life-sized Marilyn Monroe statue, climbing holds, nativity figurines, and playground slides.
- A favorite listing featured martial arts dummies, two of which appeared to be kissing in the background.
- Roarty was motivated by the rise of AI and the prevalence of polished imagery, emphasizing the importance of story and process.
- The project is an ongoing space for instinctive experimentation, giving found images another life.
Entities
Artists
- Casey Roarty
Institutions
- Warner Music
- Facebook Marketplace