We live in a time of mass production, where everything can be industrially produced – fast and flawless. And when we see products like these, it is almost disturbing. These rarities, deviating from the otherwise uniform and standardized series were collected by Heike Bollig and documented in ‘Errors in Production’ series. Objects like these shake our perception of the brave new world where machines have replaced human physical labor, enabling us to enjoy in the excess of gained free time. Whether this is good or bad for humankind, only time will tell.

Marshmallow
Found in Stockholm, 2008
Deformed

3 pink balloons
Received from Yuka Oyama, 2005
3 balloons melted together

Imanuel Kant; Kritik der Reinen Vernunft
Found at University Bookshop Munich, 2004
Incorrectly cut

Jelly Bears
Recived from Claudia Wieser, Berlin 2005
incorectly punched out

Match
Found in Berlin 2005
Only a fraction of the tip is coated with sulfur

Screw
Found at Obi, Munich 2004
Crooked, incorrectly milled

Band-Aid
Peter Dobroschke
Air hole is missing

Toilet Paper
Manufacturer unknown
No perforation

I Ging
Found at University Bookshop Munich, 2004
Incorrectly cut

Kale
Found in Stockholm, 2008
Multipel labels

Nickel
Found by Emily Pugh, New York, 2008
Blank Coin

Peaches record produced by xl recordings
Recived from Thomas Schmidt 2006
Double labled

Heike Bollig: ‘Since 2004, I have been working artistically on the theme of mistakes in our everyday lives as they arise in manufacturing errors, malfunctions and in our perception of mistakes. ‘Errors in Production’ is a collection of various small objects with individual manufacturing errors. Due to strict quality management in production and the striving for perfection and efficiency it is extraordinarily rare to find such lone objects that deviate from the canon of industrial standardisation. Each object tells a special story about its production and makes a concise record of the moment that went out of control.’

Via Heike Bollig.