Stockton Riverside...

So yesterday I got up early, and went into town, I had the intention of buying all of the Christmas presents that I needed for people in one day, and so I was up and out by 8.30, making my way into town, I went into my town, nothing much there, and so decided to go into Stockton, where i knew there would be enough choice, but it wouldn't be as busy as Middlesbrough, so I walked down, and around and round for hours, and I spent the day literally going through town and walking to different industrial estates and what-not, and just when I was finished, I started walking back, and I saw a road which I had never seen before, and decided to walk down it.

It was on a side of the river which I didn't have too much knowledge of, but I thought I'll give it a go, as I could see Stockton's brand new infinity bridge looming over the industrial units. So as I'm walking down this snowy road, i decide to walk up a path which was on a hill, dredging through the 6 inches of snow, I made it too the top, and very quickly it became apparent that it was sunset, well whilst on the top of this hill, I could see a tree lines path, leading the to bridge, and the most amazing sunset through the curves of the bridge, i felt around for my phone to capture the sight but stupidly I'd forgotten it.

I sat down and enjoyed the sight for the short period that it lasted.

It sounds really really silly, even to me, but just seeing that made me really happy, and made me think about how beautiful the world is, how beautiful stockton is, even though most who live here wouldn't agree. It has made me think about this, and I would really like to create a collection, maybe of photographs, maybe of something else to do with Stockton, however I just want people to notice the things that they take for granted, can be very beautiful to others...

The Globe...

The Globe, the building that I am currently researching and have been trying to get permission to enter. It lies on my high street on Stockton-On-Tees, and is a beautiful Art Deco building which has been left in a state of disrepair, since the closure of it as a bingo hall, happened in 2000.

I've searched high and low for the owners, and even stockton council where unsure about the tenture.

However yesterday, I asked my mum for help, with finding out this, as it would be easier to do this, living in the town, not far from the location, she agreed, and said that she would speak to some people she knew in the council.

Well that was yesterday, and 20 minutes ago she phonecalled me, spooked out, as she arrived home from a trip, to find the local newspaper on the doormat, with a picture of the buidling on the front; telling all that the Grade II listed building, is due a new lease of life, going back to it's original purpose, of being a live music venue. The planning permission is in, and awaiting response from Stockton Borough Council, which i'm sure will not refuse, as the building has been waiting for this, for quite a while.

http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/local-teesside-news/stockton-billingham-news/2009/12/17/plans-to-restore-stockton-globe-theatre-to-former-glory-84229-25413562/

I'm going to have to move fast, and get in touch with the vendors, Jomaft, before they start; and hopefully the company will understand my request, and I can maybe be of some use, promoting the buidling in some way...

Send Recieve Presentation...

Overview - Homelessness.

Why changed mind, or put it on back burner. (Friends, related topics college, help).

Reading text in adbusters.

The boy from florida...
http://www.yardloo.com/florida-teen-suicide-live-internet-video-complete-coverage-video-photo/

Adams letter
www.adamsletter.com

Post Secret
http://postsecret.blogspot.com/
Spoof.
http://postrejects.blogspot.com/

Befrienders
http://www.befrienders.org/support/index.asp?PageURL=bully.php

Plan, to look more into charities in Leeds.
Samaratans.
Make people aware.
More accessible.
Educate people more.

Busy as a Beeee...

Today we had group tutorials with Nick, and I discussed the broad areas of interest for me, within this brief;

Mini-Briefs
Looking at peopls collections.
Looking at own collections (Childhood & New).
Staged photography (Drag/Rachael).
Mark & Rachaels Abode.
Technologicial coillections (Blogs, Social Networking ect).
Quote collections.

I got some positive feedback for my ideas, and also some useful ideas and stories, mostly to do with collections from childhood, such as stories, which then lead to ghost stories being told; a few about Temple Newsham.

Another idea was about the Idea about being possessed by one's collection, needing to add to it or complete it, or by people becoming obsessed with certain aspects.
This came up with the saying, we have a growing inability to forget, as most things are becoming digital, therefore we cannot escape them, or they are much harder to forget because of the constant presence in the digital world, such as facebook.

Pop-up Museum...

Today our typography lesson was rescheduled, and we where asked to attend a new pop-up museum, created by the group STRETCH; which has appeared in the Merrion Centre Leeds, the museum is located inside an old women's clothing store which is near the end of the centre, and if I'm honest, is in a pretty decent place, for a good passing trade, even though it's in possibly the worst shopping centre in Leeds.

The opening was about 10 minutes prior to when I arrived, hence why there was a large interest in the venue. At first I thought that it looked very cramped, and that there was not enough content, but as I walked around, there turned out to be a little more than meets the eye, granted, not that much more.

The store seemed to be more in a planning stage rather than a final project, I and others where actually quite disappointed with the layout and the content, as there really is not very much there, and most of the contents of the glass cases, appeared to be things that you would find on a Christmas market stall, or Hawkins Bizarre.

However there was at least one good activity in the venue, the fact that visitors where actively encouraged to decorate the home made letters which made up the sign, this was a fun and interacting activity, and I found it very playful, and just altogether fun, however it did not seem to have much to do with the theme or concept at hand, and that is the one flaw I would say about this activity.

To conclude, I would say that the museum needs to have more original content, It seemed to be showing things that most of us had seen before, or objects which would be found on a tacky stall; The signs that where labelling and describing the contents, also seemed very amateur, printed onto plain A4 paper and simply placed in the cabinets, I feel that this could have easily been made to look more professional, simply by mounting the information onto the glass, or maybe small stands; instead of being something which simply filled a blank space, which it obviously was there just to do.

Overall this has given me, and others lessons, in mostly what not to do during our own up-and-coming exhibition; However has also taught me, to add encouragement, by getting people involved in the work, as I felt I had actually achieved something by attending the exhibition because of the activity. The pop-up museum is a fantastic concept, which could be a thriving place, with just a little tweaking, here and there. I wish them good luck with the next exhibitions...

Erwin Olaf-esque...

So yesterday, I was thinking about projects that could be achieved within this brief, many little ideas came to me. One idea that stood out, was that for a while, i have been pondering on the idea of doing some staged photography, much like the artists; Erwin Olaf. I really like the style of his photographs, how they are simple, almost colorless atmosphere, and he way that they intrigue one to observe them for long periods, even though they are very simple. I feel that the reason that I probably like this style, is because they feel much like a Painting, carefully crafted, eye-catching and incredibly beautifully edited.

I was looking at a magazine which held some of his images, and this there then got me thinking, I started to think about how i could if this concept into visual language, and collections, carefully thinking about all of the people i know and their collections. I am now arranging to photograph different people collections for inspiration into this, and to see how these collections and my own knowledge of these people will change in looking into this.

One major idea that i am in he process of maybe arranging, is working with someone I know, who is in a drag act, and is constantly buying new makeup, wigs and clothing, his collection of drag act costumes is constantly growing, and I really want to photograph this collection and look at it's place in society; as it is defiantly something controversial, but in my eyes, I want to unpick the idea that people should live their lives how they want to live it, and now how society says; and so hopefully want to connote this through the work I produce...