I was heading back to re shoot the bbq scene, when I found this buried car and truck. My brother and I found this when we were kids, however I forgot about it and just assumed it was removed/ recovered.
(iphone photos)
Sunday, 29 January 2012
First four rolls
First four rolls of film, shot over Christmas between the two markers
Image from google earth
Image from google earth
Artists
There are several artists I have looked at during this module, so I should probably reference them.
This body of work is the "Walking the High Line" by Joel Sternfeld. The series is a collection of photographs taken during the course of a year. The High Line is a section of disused elevated train line in Manhattan, New York. The Line Lay in decay for several years and has now been transformed into a raised garden.
http://www.thehighline.org/about/maps
This body of work is the "Walking the High Line" by Joel Sternfeld. The series is a collection of photographs taken during the course of a year. The High Line is a section of disused elevated train line in Manhattan, New York. The Line Lay in decay for several years and has now been transformed into a raised garden.
http://www.thehighline.org/about/mapsThese are a fantastic set of images, shot on 10x8 they show the unseen in a highly populated area. Greenery within highly urban areas such as this is usually confined to planned parks where as these images offer a rare view. From the ground; an invisible space set against an urban backdrop.
http://www.thehighline.org/galleries/images/joel-sternfeldAll images are property of Joel Sternfeld.
Relating this to my project, I'm keen to look at the unseen within the seen. To view the space on the fringes of human habitation.
The link below is a video of Joel Sternfeld discussing the project. (no embed option so had to use the link)
http://www.americansuburbx.com/2011/09/asx-tv-joel-sternfeld-high-line-stories-2011.html
Tuesday, 17 January 2012
Moving forward
So my initial plan this year, was to return and attempt the project again in the same area, however I found my self aimlessly wandering around with a camera and losing focus again.
I had a bit of a realization during one of my other modules. The scenes that I was trying to depict were really run down and had a large level of redundancy to them. This is always going to make for very solitary, cold, and depressing scenes. Despite the looming renovations there was very little interaction with the space. This distance from human interaction means there is not anyway for the project to develop.. It is what it is.. an empty space.
As I made mention earlier I had a realization. That stemmed from two images I took on a field lecture.
I had a bit of a realization during one of my other modules. The scenes that I was trying to depict were really run down and had a large level of redundancy to them. This is always going to make for very solitary, cold, and depressing scenes. Despite the looming renovations there was very little interaction with the space. This distance from human interaction means there is not anyway for the project to develop.. It is what it is.. an empty space.
As I made mention earlier I had a realization. That stemmed from two images I took on a field lecture.
Both of these images where taken on the boarders of a town (top one Cheltenham and bottom one Gloucester).Top Image..
The thing that really struck me about this image was the many different elements that where present. Firstly the burned out car, shows on one level consumerism and the throw away culture and also the aspirational element.. I want that, I can't afford it.. I'll take yours. further more the fact its still there. The car has obviously been there a long time by the fact the grass has all grown back.
The field was once farmed and is now left. Evidence of economic downturn?
The hedge in the back ground making of land boundaries..
I could go on. Shortly after taking this image we engaged in conversation with a resident who's estate backed onto this field. She was upset at the idea of town planners building on the land.
This area is part of the green belt surrounding Cheltenham, Green Belt land is an interesting place, because people believe that they own a stake in it and that it must be protected and preserved when the reality is that its mostly waste land that serves only as good dog walking ground and prevention against urban sprawl.
This is the shift that my project is now going to undertake. instead of looking at an area that is personal to me. I am going to do a full circle walking around the outskirts of a town, right on the boarder of human habitation and photograph what lies in this buffer zone and how people interact with it.
Last years submission: So this is what I actually turned in last year. (yeah shocking I know).
Presentation..
These were Inkjet prints on A3 paper in 6x6 format. They were presented in print sleeves in a print box. I don't know what I was thinking at the time, but I am now very much aware that the prints needed to be professionally printed, cut to lose the boarder and presented more professional either framed or mounted. It is obvious that very little consideration went into these prints. Moving forward I am giving a considerable level on consideration into producing an end product.
Content..
Probably best I don't go there! needless to say, very little evidence for aesthetic and technical issues.
These were Inkjet prints on A3 paper in 6x6 format. They were presented in print sleeves in a print box. I don't know what I was thinking at the time, but I am now very much aware that the prints needed to be professionally printed, cut to lose the boarder and presented more professional either framed or mounted. It is obvious that very little consideration went into these prints. Moving forward I am giving a considerable level on consideration into producing an end product.
Content..
Probably best I don't go there! needless to say, very little evidence for aesthetic and technical issues.
Monday, 16 January 2012
Points of Interest
As I have made mention this module for me is a retake, (I'm not a very disaplind blogger so a lot of this is done retrospectively). At the beginning of this project I looked back at the work I produced for the fist attempt. I decided early on that I wanted to focus on taking the brief in the most literal sense and make it my own view. I wanted to focus on the town where I grew up (Basingstoke). Basingstoke has its history rooted in the times of the British civil war, accommodating a large weapons arsenal. The towns' population increased rapidly following the second World War owing to resettlement projects to the north of the town and the increase in social mobility. In the 70's the town became a place of trade and commerce, office blocks, warehouses and commuter accommodation quickly sprung up owing largely to the geographical location.
The reason I am interested in photographing this areas is because it is an area going through a huge identity crises. It is an area desperately trying to replace the concrete 1970's architecture and become a place of glass, marble and polished steel.
John Davies photographs from the British isles depicts scenes of shifts in identity. This scene in particular shows the combination of modern British architecture in the train station canopies against a dated concrete backdrop, which includes a building being developed the hide its original look.
The reason I am interested in photographing this areas is because it is an area going through a huge identity crises. It is an area desperately trying to replace the concrete 1970's architecture and become a place of glass, marble and polished steel.
John Davies photographs from the British isles depicts scenes of shifts in identity. This scene in particular shows the combination of modern British architecture in the train station canopies against a dated concrete backdrop, which includes a building being developed the hide its original look.
http://www.johndavies.uk.com/fawr.htm
Large areas of the town were and still undergoing mass redevelopment. Last year I decided to focus specifically on the the area outlined in this image. This area know as basing view is where the most drastic changes are underway. Many buildings are being demolished and many remain vacant. There are very few companies working out of this area.
Large areas of the town were and still undergoing mass redevelopment. Last year I decided to focus specifically on the the area outlined in this image. This area know as basing view is where the most drastic changes are underway. Many buildings are being demolished and many remain vacant. There are very few companies working out of this area.
http://www.basingview.co.uk/?page=Masterplan pp31
In 2010 the company responsible for the demolition of many of these buildings went into administration and many lay partially demolished and the entire area was very much redundant for around eight months.
I was really unsure at the time as to want method was best. These are a few test shots I took on a variety of formats.
In 2010 the company responsible for the demolition of many of these buildings went into administration and many lay partially demolished and the entire area was very much redundant for around eight months.
I was really unsure at the time as to want method was best. These are a few test shots I took on a variety of formats.
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