Unwashed Dishes as Art

Culture - 17 Sep 2026

By PAP Magazine Editorial

Artist Martina Croce photographed the cups left in her sink over 12 months for her series .

Artist Martina Croce photographed the cups left in her sink over 12 months for her series . A cup casually left after a drink becomes, for some, just another dish to wash—but for her, it became a subject worth capturing. The same sink reveals a different scene every day. On some days, a single mug sits alone; on others, cups of varying colors and sizes pile up together.

Croce's photographs lay bare the repetition of daily life. Coffee stains, water marks, the careless angle of a spoon—each detail is trivial on its own, but together they reveal a person's day. She shot these scenes consistently from above, maintaining a unified perspective across the series.

By collecting these traces of everyday routine, she turned them into a record of an entire year. Twelve months, same location, yet each frame tells a different story. A sink full of unwashed dishes becomes a snapshot of that day's mood and rhythm. Through this project, Croce demonstrates that even the most mundane moments deserve documentation.

If you left the dishes for later today, why not take a photo of your sink? Twelve months from now, you might have a compelling archive of your own. What cups are sitting in your sink today?

설거지 안 한 싱크대도 작품이 된다 — martina croce, Look 1

설거지 안 한 싱크대도 작품이 된다 — martina croce, Look 2

설거지 안 한 싱크대도 작품이 된다 — martina croce, Look 3

설거지 안 한 싱크대도 작품이 된다 — martina croce, Look 4

설거지 안 한 싱크대도 작품이 된다 — martina croce, Look 5

설거지 안 한 싱크대도 작품이 된다 — martina croce, Look 6

설거지 안 한 싱크대도 작품이 된다 — martina croce, Look 7

설거지 안 한 싱크대도 작품이 된다 — martina croce, Look 8

설거지 안 한 싱크대도 작품이 된다 — martina croce, Look 9

#martina croce
#photography
#daily life
#documentation
#kitchen
#sink
#everyday art
#archive
#repetition
#routine

FAQ

What is Martina Croce's *A Year in the Sink*?

*A Year in the Sink* is a photo series by artist Martina Croce documenting cups left in her sink daily over twelve months. Shot from above in a consistent composition, the project captures the cups casually set down after drinking, recording both the repetition and variation of everyday life.

Why did Martina Croce photograph her sink?

Croce photographed her sink to show that even the most mundane moments deserve documentation. Though the same location was shot for twelve months, each frame reveals different cup arrangements and traces, proving that distinct stories emerge even within repetitive daily routines.

What composition was used in *A Year in the Sink*?

Croce consistently photographed the sink from a bird's-eye view looking directly down. This composition clearly reveals details like cup placement, coffee stains, water marks, and spoon angles, while maintaining a unified visual rhythm throughout the entire series.

Unwashed Dishes as Art

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