Category Archives: Spring Term Inspiration
Gallery Visit: V&A Museum
Today I visited the V&A Museum to gather inspiration for my designs and these are the ones that I felt particularly inspired by. Unfortunately with the clothing being displayed in glass cabinet, I was unable to take photographs without my reflections and so found images of the pieces on their website.
Summer Assessment: Culture Inspiration
After looking over a few ancient lost cultures I settled on the Anasazi from Pueblo Bonito in North America. From “Virtual Archaeology Re-creating Ancient Worlds” by Harry N. Abrams I learnt that:
“Pueblo Bonito, in Chaco Canyon in the American Southwest, was one of the most remarkable towns in pre-Columbian North America. It was built by the Anasazi in the period AD 950 – 1150, on a D-shaped plan. The complex at one time consisted of 5 semicular platforms around a vast central square dotted with numerous pits that led to underground ritual areas )kivas). The town had both commercial and religious roles and was one a of a group of sites in the San Juan connected by a unique road network.
Collaborating with Anastasia: Kayan Lahwi (Burma): Latex
Today I spoke with Olivia Stagg, a finalist, about possible materials to use for decoration and to create a base as I wasn’t entirely happy with the pattern I created. We spoke about using meat however couldn’t find an appropriate link between the use of animals when my piece relates to female humans, and using human flesh is probably too controversial. Something that made sense to both of us was the use of latex to create the base of my sculptures as I have experience with this material and already have some available to use. Latex will give a more accurate casting of the neck and a smoother finish. It is also quick and easy to use. Latex could also be used to create the decorations, especially for the anatomical design.
Sheets of latex:
Collaborating with Anastasia: Kayan Lahwi (Burma): Creating Designs
Collaborating with Anastasia: Kayan Lahwi (Burma): Furthering My Practice
Meeting with Tina today to go over my progress has helped me get back on track after having quite a long inspiration block. She suggested that I go back to my neck piece and further it by creating wearable sculptures. Materials she suggested to look into are sugar paper, bone, and cable wire. She noted that there are many areas of association between the neck and my practice. Much like last term I will be starting to make a series of sculptures. A few ideas are the different structures of the neck/ throat and the style of neck wear in medieval times. There is a third year who I have seen working on costume design that I will speak to.
Collaborating with Anastasia: Afghanistan (Death in Childbirth): Epitaphs
In relation to the aesthetics of tombstones decorated by Stan Ioan Pătraş, I have chosen to use verse as well as illustration in my piece. To begin with I spoke to my peer, Mara, who is and can speak Romanian (the merry cemetery being in Romania and so the epitaphs are written in Romanian).
To begin I looked into famous poems linked to childbirth of which Akiko Yosano’s “Labor Pains” stood out. Together Mara and I settled on a suitable verse and Mara translated it into Romanian:
“With the first labor pains, suddenly the sun goes pale. The indifferent world goes strangely calm. I am alone. It is alone I am.”
“Cu prima durere de nastere, de-o data soarele paleste. Lumea indiferenta devine un calm ciudat. Sunt singura. Singura e ce sunt.
I researched the same topic but looked for writing from Afghanistan. What I managed to find was a poem that is read out at the ceremony honor the newborn:
“It is up to you to keep this light going; Keep it safe until it beams brighter; Until it lights this house and the whole neighborhood; Accept this gift and be thankful to God.”
“E sarcina ta sa tii lumina mergand; tine-l sigur pana straluceste tare; pana lumineaza casa si tot cartierul; primeste cadoul asta si multumestei lui Dumnezeu.”
Mara has also offered to have me record her speaking Romanian so that I may create a sound piece.
Collaborating with Anastasia: Afghanistan (Death in Childbirth): Cimitirul Vesel
After going through my blog with Mark (who will be assessing me at the end of the year), he mentioned to me a place called the Merry Cemetery – a cemetery with tombstones decorated by a man named Stan Ioan Pătraş.
“Over 600 wooden crosses bear the life stories, dirty details, and final moments of the bodies they mark. Displayed in bright, cheery pictures and annotated with limericks are the stories of almost everyone who has died of the town of Săpânţa. Illustrated crosses depict soldiers being beheaded and a townsperson being hit by a truck. The epigraphs reveal a surprising level of truth. “Underneath this heavy cross. Lies my mother in law poor… Try not to wake her up. For if she comes back home. She’ll bite my head off.” (http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/merry-cemetery)
I have chosen to move this project forward by taking the theme “One woman dies in childbirth every half an hour”, and creating an illustration in the style of the Merry Cemetery, to then bake 30 pieces of gingerbread shaped like tombstones, then print it off the illustration 30 times and attach to the gingerbread using icing.
Collaborating with Anastasia: Afghanistan (Death in Childbirth): Workers Baked Alive
“Two bakery workers died in agony after bosses sent them into a giant oven to carry out repairs on the cheap, a court heard yesterday.
The machine should have been allowed to cool for 12 hours, but was only left for two.
David Mayes and Ian Erickson were unaware of the full danger as they crawled into the oven because fans had cooled its outer reaches to 40c. Its core, however, was still at 100c.
The repair was a delicate procedure in which they had to collect broken parts from along the length of a conveyor belt which carries bread trays slowly through the 75ft-long oven.
They had removed enough trays to allow them space within the rails of the belt to crawl along with it at the same speed.
But within five minutes they were relaying terrified messages over their walkie-talkies, saying the oven was too hot. There was no way of reversing the belt and they were trapped on its journey through the oven.
Mr Erickson, 44, was pulled out at the other end and died on the factory floor in front of horrified workmates
Mr Mayes, 47, collapsed inside and was caught in the machinery. He died from 80 per cent burns and multiple fractures.”
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-60734/Workers-baked-alive-bread-factory-horror.html#ixzz2uGaPAeoj
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Collaborating with Anastasia: Afghanistan (Death in Childbirth): MPH Advert
This is the Make Poverty History clicking advertisement. The action and sound of the clicking represents the death of a child, every three seconds.