Vice Grips and Wrenches

A collection of my dad’s well-used vice grips, pliers, and wrenches reaches in from every edge of this photograph, their open jaws nearly meeting in the center. Scratches, worn teeth, and years of use are visible across the metal surfaces.

I loved arranging these tools so that each one had its own place, while still feeling connected to the others. My dad could fix just about anything, and I spent countless hours with him in his garage. Working with these familiar tools in my studio brought back memories of watching him figure things out, one problem at a time.

Part of Donna Dufault’s Tool Project, a collection of 19 black-and-white still life photographs created in 2002 using tools from her late father’s garage.