The Sponge Relay
27 November 2015When I left my flat in Bristol in 2015 to start my journey around the world I took a brand new sponge with me in honour of Sponge Watch. That sponge was then exchanged with a sponge from the host of the next place I stayed at. I then carried that sponge with me to the next host and ceremoniously made another exchange. And so on.
At first glance, this is indeed as strange as it looks. But I do have deeper reasons for it. The original Sponge Watch project was borne from a desire to observe and acknowledge the slow, almost imperceptively so, movement of impermanence all around us. Of course at the far end of the spectrum impermanence reminds us of our, and ultimately the universe’s, unavoidable demise. Yet this demise moves so slowly that we often don’t notice it: a fact somewhat out of balance with its significance. For me Sponge Watch was a cute and slightly satirical attempt to readdress that balance. To show that even the most mundane of everyday objects possessed the poignance of impermanence.
And so with expert consultancy and brainstorming with Marvin Slow and Tom Heath The Sponge Relay project was born. I hope it promotes cross-cultural understanding of the ordinary yet profound and universal truth of the brief, yet magical, opportunity we have to live, laugh and wash dishes.
Archives
The #spongeRelay has come full circle. Here I exchange with my landlord who kindly looked after all my belongings whilst I was away. You can see all 22 of the exchanges at https://t.co/Hk41gZ4zwN What should I do for my next adventure? pic.twitter.com/VACo20bBja
— Tom Buckley-Houston (@twombh) February 14, 2019
The penultimate #spongeRelay 21. With my Japanese language exchange partner in Kyoto. The next sponge will be in Bristol, bringing this strange project to completion. pic.twitter.com/35kiadnwj5
— Tom Buckley-Houston (@twombh) December 26, 2018
After a gap of a year, #spongeRelay 20. With Aaron from Ireland who lives in China, my reason for being in Kunming. pic.twitter.com/zH9VvDBRyb
— Tom Buckley-Houston (@twombh) December 26, 2018
#spongeRelay 19, with 黄珊 (Huáng Shān, English name Ellen), the mother of a family I stayed with in Chengdu, Sichuan province China for 5 weeks. pic.twitter.com/kai7FbpmgK
— Tom Buckley-Houston (@twombh) November 18, 2017
#spongeRelay 18, Yogyakarta, Java. With Mas Dinan on the last day of Ramadan, Idul Fitri. pic.twitter.com/FvGVhZWZix
— Tom Buckley-Houston (@twombh) June 25, 2017
#spongeRelay 17: Pokhara, Nepal with my French teacher, Marine. In my fave café's kitchen, am/pm, with the owner. pic.twitter.com/9hTSXgJEsC
— Tom Buckley-Houston (@twombh) February 3, 2017
#spongeRelay 16. With Yangchen, my landlady for 3 months in Leh, Ladakh. Actually exchanging soap for sponge here: pic.twitter.com/5JYJPjsLUc
— Tom Buckley-Houston (@twombh) November 3, 2016
#spongeRelay 15. With Ben Trias in Bangkok, Thailand pic.twitter.com/Kodp3ErkTr
— Tom Buckley-Houston (@twombh) July 10, 2016
#spongeRelay 14, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. With local, organic soap makers Sara and Jackie. pic.twitter.com/NiclJIgVd4
— Tom Buckley-Houston (@twombh) June 11, 2016
#spongeExchange 13 video! Japanese Garden in Moscow with fellow follower of the wayless way, Denis Sadovoy https://t.co/yOt95IUIGV
— Tom Buckley-Houston (@twombh) May 3, 2016
#spongeRelay 12: A Helsinki brush from my old school mate Dave of @AllAboutDogFood fame. Not seen him in 16 years! pic.twitter.com/n9fkT2PQed
— Tom Buckley-Houston (@twombh) April 19, 2016
#spongeRelay 11: Umeå, Sweden with my host Susan Sondell of handelsgarden.se crafts. Receiving a genuine Ikea sponge pic.twitter.com/qsxg92Glrw
— Tom Buckley-Houston (@twombh) April 14, 2016
#spongeRelay 10. First non-sponge: a env friendly, reusable microfiber cloth from @ldexterldesign in Groningen, NL. pic.twitter.com/wzL6tSBgrj
— Tom Buckley-Houston (@twombh) March 27, 2016
#spongeRelay 9. Me and my aunty Norah in front of The Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw pic.twitter.com/O66TK86svc
— Tom Buckley-Houston (@twombh) March 13, 2016
#spongeRelay 8 in front of the National Library in Vienna, with my friend and top geek Stefan pic.twitter.com/xtKTVrmuI4
— Tom Buckley-Houston (@twombh) February 22, 2016
#spongeRelay 7, Berlin pic.twitter.com/cggfX9aq4L
— Tom Buckley-Houston (@twombh) February 12, 2016
Finally found the perfect opportunity for #spongeRelay 6. With Magnus, my guide, on Aguilles Marbrées at 3535m pic.twitter.com/wEoTjvgpHp
— Tom Buckley-Houston (@twombh) December 17, 2015
#spongeRelay 5 chez @melissaayers et @spointu en Chambèry pic.twitter.com/kdbEkTCc1B
— Tom Buckley-Houston (@twombh) November 29, 2015
#spongeRelay 4 with @MartineBatch in Bordeaux. Read more about this strange project: https://t.co/VDVuM8u2VE pic.twitter.com/QQwnXRZZkx
— Tom Buckley-Houston (@twombh) November 27, 2015
#spongeRelay 3: Bristol to Paris. That's me and @potatoihave under the Eiffel Tower pic.twitter.com/nuygwLkRpI
— Tom Buckley-Houston (@twombh) November 5, 2015
#spongeRelay 2. Exchange of similar, but not identical, Bristolian scourers, typical of British supermarkets. piblushc.twitter.com/AB4Hh5lwzM
— Tom Buckley-Houston (@twombh) October 26, 2015
My first day as a nomad, I begin The Sponge Relay: exchanging a sponge from my previous host with one from my current pic.twitter.com/kq4VBd2ZW3
— Tom Buckley-Houston (@twombh) October 12, 2015