news:project 360 – being put into a box

The next steps for the creation of 'flick book viewers' is to place the spindle within a 'box' and then calculate the various sizes of which the cards need to be. The box I've created out of 1mm card using folds and a second piece of card forming not only the sides but double layers in places for strength.

news: project 360 - and the wheels start spinning

……well in truth, the first test pieces for how I would imagine the children's work could be exhibited are sort of spinning, in both design and in a forward direction. I've started to build a prototype of the 'flick-book viewer' one that can be easily built from cheap and easily worked materials quickly. The first task was to create the central spindle on which the sequence of frames will be attached within a form of presentation box. I've calculated on trying to use mostly card with only the main axel of wood and the individual spokes for each image card made from kebab sticks. The internal cylinder is the tube you find clingfilm of silver foil rolled around and a little paint goes a long way!

The holes for the image spokes are set at 2,5mm
 in from the outer edge. The diameter of the spokes
3mm.

Now with alittle bit of colour……
The flange diameter is 83mm and the central axel 15mm - a little wider then I
originally imagined but it was all I had at hand at the time. 

I've built two barrels on the one axel, combined length
390mm with each 'Kebab Stick' measuring 200mm.

news: 'Project 360' Sketchbook – East London Arts education project on the UN rights of a Child

I'm keen to, if possible, give the participants of this project the opportunity to work with both analog and digital photography. The analog aspect of the project is not just a trip into the past but instead offers an opportunity for a new generation to experience the magic of the 'Darkroom' and understand something of the roots of the medium. There is something else also inherent in analog photography and that is the aspect of time and limitation. With only a few frames each, pupils must be more selective and sure of their moment in which to take the image. It demands the undivided concentration of the photographer, as they pinpoint what it is they need and what is important, for the images they wish to create. The limitation of analog can often help in guiding young practitioners to find this level of focus, were as digital on the other hand offers a freedom to explore ideas in which ever way they want, with little consequence with regards materials and costs.

The digital side of the project will take advantage of the opportunity to take many images, in fact I've the plan to capitalize on this by pushing the participants to create a sequence of images to envisage an idea presented as a mini flick book film. Add into the mix the freedom of photomontage and the creative possibilities could be very exciting.

Anyway, back to the development of the project as a whole, so below you will find some more scans of the latest pages from the projects sketchbook.

Photomontage could offer an creative freedom for the participants to realize their own ideas and visions.

Very exciting would be the possibility to create flick-book film viewers, although the actual mechanism  I'll have to build before hand due to the work and time involved.

Ideas on how to exhibit analog contact prints

news: playing paper, stone, scissors – Project 360

It can be that such schools art's projects are restricted not only in the time available within the school timetable but also in purely where and what sort of access the participants can have in practical terms. It may be a great idea to explore perhaps perspective, or distance or perhaps social themes but it can be that everything which the children create must come from and within the confines of the school grounds. Such limitations I try and turn to an advantage allowing the participants themselves to create environments and references which are directly available to them. 

For part of this project, I'm looking to explore background, center ground and foreground, creating images using these elements to underline an idea or theme. To open out the possibilities available I thought the use of Photo-Montage would free the pupils from pratical constraints, allowing hopefully their imagination to run free. It's generally 'not my thing' you could say, but it may prove exciting for the pupils and it's position in modern art production has been in recent year underlined with John Stezaker receiving the Borse Photography Prize in 2012 for his college work. Some examples of photographic montage work to get the mind thinking…….

 John Stezaker work which received the Borse Photography Prize

John Stezaker, 2012

John Heartfields political photomontages

 again John Heartfield

 Alexandra Bellissimo

Photomontage would allow the possibility of bringing together in a single image, separate elements under a single theme regardless of scale or practicality 

Even using a single image multiple times can create a new and enhanced image - here Mary Miss has strengthened an architectural sense of depth

news: New project with a huge theme – UN Convention on the rights of the Child

When the theme comes as big as this, then my habit is to try and find a working title that's as small and compact enough to give me something to grip hold of. The 'child friendly' version of the wording of such an important document runs to 43 Articles, and in many ways offers endless possibilities. But sometimes more is in truth less and finding a path on which to approach the subject in a manner both engaging for 10 year olds, understandable and encompassing of the nature of such a charter and of course creative, leaves your head spinning. Perhaps it was partly inspired by this analogy, partly realizing that this charter although focusing on the individual can only exist in the context of the greater all, society as a whole, viewed and embraced from all sides. It's from this that I've given this years schools project in east London the working title – '360.'

So just as last year, I'd like to post progress reports of how the project develops, from the very first notes to the final installation/ exhibition of the work. Hopefully I'll succeed in posting more often than I managed last year and those involved directly or afar will find of interest the  manner and method the project progresses. For now then the first sketchbook pages.

news: Library of Memory. London - December 2014

Access to the space for the installing of the installation was available only 4 hours before the show was to open with I hoped an enthusiastic first visiting class from one of the schools. The installation therefor was in part pre-fabricated and required pupils from one class to help and transport the numerous part to the space. I have yet to manage a project which doesn't have this final stress up to the last moment and this project was no different. The moment I felt I'd put the last elements together that the not one but 2 visiting classes arrived. 60 plus odd children and the enthusiasm and energy to match makes for, I would say, a baptism of fire. The installation survived and I hope survives to this day in the minds and memories of those involved in the project.

 

news: Library of Memory – final installation

The involvement of 3 schools and around 240 children creates plenty of work and ideas, it also creates a few hard decisions. It is never easy the editing process and as always time and budgets strictly layout  the path and limits towards any final installation and project summary. Early on in the project, a trip to the education resource depot (possibly my absolute favorite place in London, it's an aladins cave, curiosity shop, Santas workshop all in one at the moment of exploding) seemed to let me down throwing up no obvious materials in which to realize the structure of the final installation. There were though some double sided mirrored card which as the project progressed seemed to lend itself to the ideas and work of the children. It's reflective quality and the ability to create a differing perspective through the bending of this material grow more and more fitting as a medium to involve in the installation process. 

 I began to play with shapes that would reflect back on  themselves, lines dissecting and bridging plains and parts and also that of layers, forming a complex single form. 

I wanted also to be able to include as many images as possible, wishing no child to feel they were not involved or represented. Only 4 days before the installation was to be installed did I know of the location and so needed to assume that the work would have to be self supportive. 

I found myself playing with the representative form/symbol for infinity. The idea of something devoid of boundaries, a thread weaving between time, location and form seems fitting and it lent itself to something which could prove to be self supporting physically.

> images are from my project notebook. 2014.