Alix Dessain- Cube Gallery

Richard Brooks, a lecturer in Architect, came in to talk to us about the new art school but more specifically about the 4 internal concrete pillars within the building. Rather than being 4 plain pillars they have been moulded with a floral pattern, designed by former Manchester School of Art pupil Lewis Day. By adding the floral pattern the harshness of the grey concrete has been softened and makes the pillars look a lot more attractive and interesting and I’m looking forward to being able to see the pillars myself. It was interesting seeing what is usually considered a very industrial material being used in such a way to give it a softer and more textural look.  

He also spoke about the current exhibition at the Cube Gallery ‘Infra_MANC’ which looks at the post war development of the infrastructure in the city.  I went to see this exhibition and really enjoyed it as I was able to look into the geographical history of the city. I was intrigued by the underground system that is in the city and has made me want to explore this more and incorporate it into my project. The underground world of Manchester that many people don’t know about or even know exists reminded me of the mystery of the alleyways in Marrakech where people don’t know what is around the next corner or what lies on the other side of the alley walls.

Here are a few pictures of detailed maps with patterns and colours that I found interesting and appealed to me.

Arrivals Task- Alix Dessain

To begin the project we were asked to imagine arrving at a place. I decided to look at arriving in Marrakech, Morocco, as when I visited the country last summer there was such a stark contrast to England that I felt and saw as soon as I stepped off the plane, despite only being 3 hours away on the plane.  The biggest difference to me was the colour, arriving from a drab and grey England to a city full of warm shades of oranges, yellows and red was refreshing and gave the city an striking look immediately.

I loved the hustle and bustle that is seen along the street and the alleys within the medina. Anywhere you walk down there is some sort of activity happening, whether its children playing outside their homes, cats running around, a donkey cart pulling oranges along, a motorbike about to run you over, men rushing to the mosque at prayer call, there is always something going in and even late into the night there was still constant activity going on in the alleys.

But this is in complete  contrast to when you enter a riad, a traditional Moroccan house with an internal open-air courtyard. What appears to be a dull, ordinary looking and often suspicious door off a winding alley of the medina opens up into a tranquil surrounding that feels a million miles away from the chaos outside.  Once inside, you feel very calm and content being surrounded by gorgeous coloured tiles, lanterns hanging everywhere and amazing rugs and textiles scattered on the floor. The noise from the alleys and streets is completely hidden and the only sound you can hear from the outside world is the mosque calling the Moroccans to prayer which is heard several times a day from one of the numerous mosques found within the medinas walls. From the rooftop, you can see across all of the roof tops within the medina and the towers of the mosques.

Marrakesh was such an exciting place to spend time in, there was so much to look at and admire when I was wandering through the souks and streets that I want to revisit my time here and wish that I was still there!

Dave Haslam Talk- Alix Dessain

This week we started our new unit, Unit X. As part of the unit there are a number of talks that have been put on, one of them was by Dave Haslam, a Dj from Manchester.

Although I had never heard of Dave Haslam and knew nothing about him, his talk last Tuesday was interesting. He talked about the famous music scene in Manchester and about the ‘unknown and secret’ Manchester. Some of the venues he mentioned, such as the Kraak Gallery in the Northern Quarter, have made me want to go out and explore the smaller independent places that can be found here.  I knew Manchester was famous for its music scene and that countless bands started out in the city, but I never knew that there were so many musicians that were established here such as Joy Division, The Chemical Brothers and Doves.

Anne Wilson - Lindsay Swan

On a visit to Whitworth Art Gallery I came across Anne Wilson who is a chicago based artist who looks at colour in Long strips. I really liked the way it felt like colour was migrating across a space and how I could relate it to the colours of Morocco travelling into Inner City Manchester.

Get inspired - Lindsay Swan

Architecture is something I have looked at before and I find it doesnt inspire me in the way I want to be for a project. I photographed familiar buildings around Manchester, experimenting with colour swatches from my images but I wasnt excited and felt slightly limited. Colour is one of my strengths and this is what I want to push in Unit X to build a really exciting body of work.

Manchester as a city is on a massive scale where buildings can be quite over whelming and the architecture isnt very vibrant or colourful. I want to look at Morroco concentrating on the warm colour pallets and inimate interiors which combine cosy textures and patterns. I want to create a sense of comfort and relaxation in a building which is used as a busy work environment.

Fahima Chowdhury - Arrivals Task

 For my 'Arrivals Task' I was looking at Piccadilly Gardens. I grew up in manchster so I wasnt sure if I should focus somewhere esle. However, I really wanted to base it on manchester, so I decided to explore the arrival of something new in manchester and the first time I saw it. One memory of mine was arriving at the new piccadilly gardens when the fountains was placed.

 

My Tale

 

Arriving at the new and improved Piccadilly gardens was like arriving at a new fresh place. Seeing the new placed fountains created a summer feel to the old rainy space. The spraying water was like crystal fireworks reflecting any light. Each speck of crystal seemed to sparkle vividly and bright. Bright light that was almost blinding, bright light were you could hardly see, however not at all uncomfortable, just a nice place for a cup of tea. The sweet, soft, smell of fresh water moving swiftly all around, what a day to be Mancunian, so happy and so very proud.

 

 

Fahima Chowdhury - Matthew Williamson Lecture

First of all Lindsay, because I know you were thinking about looking at moroccan patterns and colour etc, while I was at this lecture I relised you could look at Matthew Williamson as inspiration, because he kept mentioning how his work is always based on the asian/middle easten sort of patterns. Just a thought.

For everyone, this lecture was great, although Matthew Williamson is a fashion designer,he creates these beautiful patterns and the way he uses colour is out of this world. I am not really going to focus on colour or Matthew Williamson but whoever is maybe look at his work. I heard he is looking into interio design to. Anyway the main reason I though I should definitly put this on the blog was because his talk was quite inspirational. He was basically saying how all designers, artist etc should not at all care whether this person or that person would like our work, if we like what we have done then it should not matter (in most cases). He was saying we should just go in to our studios with confidence in ourselves and work..I personally needed inspiration to get started. 

This is not much but i was walking past debenhams and found his collection. 

Arriving at a place

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March 7, 2012

Arriving at a place...

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After the world’s longest journey, driving from France through Andorra and in to Spain in a crammed car full of luggage and five passengers we had finally made it to Bennicassim. We pulled in to a car park mid-afternoon in the sweltering heat, the sun blaring down on us. There were people everywhere dragging suitcases, tents and gazebos in their shorts and shades.

We began unpacking the car and followed the herds of people down a long dusty track in to the camping area. There were 1000's of tents already pitched up and people kicking back in their deck chairs drinking beer. We found an open space next to a gypsy woman in a caravan who was rumoured to be selling space cake's to fund a living.

Once we had pitched our tents we cracked open our alcohol and began drinking, then later decided to go for a wonder. We trampled over tent pegs and empty beer cans until we reached a path, my sandals were covered in dust. There was noise coming from everywhere people singing, playing music and laughing. We followed a long track in to the main arena where people were queuing for miles for a greasy kebab. We shoved our way through hundreds of people towards the main stage where we were going to watch Plan B. My stomach churned with excitement.

 

Weekend in Amsterdam

I have recently been to Amsterdam where i visited the Van Gough museum..

 

 

City life/ Claire Lowe lecture

I want to look at city life and the contrast of people, buildings, places and transport. I want to compare the dull reality of the city, such as homeless people to the rich buisness men. From public transport to posh cars and old worn out buildings to new architecture. I also want to look at students, music festivals and partying, all the things that make a city.

I went to the Claire Lowe lecture today which was all about the corridor Manchester which i found quite interesting in relation to what i am doing, she talked about what the corridor meant to different people and having a sense of place and belonging. 

'The place is about what the people in the place want it to be about' - Peter Saville.

Unit X - Living it - Arrivals task

Arrivals Task

 

The hot rays of burning sun are always a temptation, to loosing the layers of clothing you cling on to on a winter’s day like hugging onto something precious. As my mum says so the sixties!!!
Walking along the sidewalk, hearing the children scuttle and play trying to block out the annoying sound off my mother’s shoes tick tock tick tock as much as I tried to block it out the more I found myself whispering tick tock tick tock whilst nodding my head on repeat, the suns still churning high above. I remain down below taking off my coat, my jumper, and my skins all sticky, scorching red eager to itch, the sun quickly absorbing into my skin making the ground un-easy to walk upon. Stopping in a side street unexpectedly I stepped into the warm crisp off sand, gently walking along letting the sand sweep over and between my toes, the clouds above are puffy as cotton balls making the sky seem bright and light. I hear the sounds of seagulls calling in the far distance its fading wait its fading tick tock tick tock the afternoon walk.

For the arrival task I looked at arriving at two of my favourite places, one when I travelled to Germany, Berlin with a group of college friends for the first time and the second was a family holiday break to Wales for a week. I have chosen these two arrivals because they were the most memorable places I’ve visited so far each place had something special about them, below I have posted some photographs of Berlin and Wales, to give a feel of what I’m describing in my tale.

Samiyah Fiaz- Photographs

See the full gallery on Posterous

 

See the full gallery on Posterous

 

See the full gallery on Posterous