For our latest mission, we put a Carnegie Hall orchestra in the middle of New York City and placed an empty podium in front of the musicians with a sign that read, “Conduct Us.” Random New Yorkers who accepted the challenge were given the opportunity to conduct this world-class orchestra. The orchestra responded to the conductors, altering their tempo and performance accordingly. This project was a collaboration with Carnegie Hall and Ensemble ACJW.

There are many types of collections. Some are formed by purposefully collecting certain objects, such as stamps or coins. However, some collections are only a byproduct of an obsession, a quirk of mind. For example, Paul Brockmann got into the habit of buying his girlfriend and later his wife a dress every time they went ballroom dancing. It might seem excessive to some, but it was his way of showing his affection. Overtime, this collection grew to be enormous, counting 55,000 dresses in total. Basic math tells us that either they went ballroom dancing three times per day for every day of their lives, or he bought them in huge bundles every time.

Marines finish a 10 kilometer training hike carrying 55 pound (25 kg) packs during Marine Combat Training (MCT) on February 22, 2013 at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Since 1988 all non-infantry enlisted male Marines have been required to complete 29 days of basic combat skills training at MCT after graduating from boot camp. MCT has been required for all enlisted female Marines since 1997. About six percent of enlisted Marines are female. (Photo by Scott Olson/AFP Photo)

A homeless man wearing face masks to protect against coronavirus, waits to receive basic medial help from members of a group of volunteer doctors of the Dom Druzei (Home of Friends) NGO in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, April 1, 2020. As Moscow goes into lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic, thousands of homeless people have trouble receiving food, water and shelter as Russia's capital closes non-essential businesses, cafes and parks. (Photo by Pavel Golovkin/AP Photo)

A view of sunken tank which promotes scuba diving tourism with its location at an artificial reef of Guvercin Island region of Kas district of Antalya, Turkiye on December 04, 2022. The sunken tank, situated at a depth of around 15 meters, is visible to both seasoned divers and those undergoing basic diving training. (Photo by Mahmut Serdar Alakus/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

«Female Boxers», 2024. Julia Fullerton-Batten is a fine art photographer renowned for her cinematic visual storytelling. Her large-scale projects are based around specific themes, each image embellishing her subject matter in a series of thought-provoking “stories” using staged tableaux and sophisticated lighting techniques. (Photo by Julia Fullerton-Batten)