Erik Kessels – Ashtray Hooray

At times smoking inside was very normal, cafés, companies, and other commercial parties catered to the enormous need to put out cigarettes in their own specific style. By producing DIY ashtrays, as a gift for perhaps employees, clients or just for decorative purposes. In their pride, however, they seemed to have overlooked one specific characteristic: their beloved company, bar or organisation’s portrait is at the bottom of the ashtray and is perpetually harassed by burning cigarette buds – a strange type of tribute. ASHTRAY HOORAY shows and celebrates a large overview of these vernacular photography-based ashtrays.