Assignment One ‘Square Mile’.

In our earliest years we know a patch of ground in a detail we will never know anywhere again – site of discovery and putting names to things – people and places – working with difference and similitude – favourite places, places to avoid – neighbours and their habits, gestures and stories-textures, smells, also of play, imagination, experiment – finding the best location for doing things – creating worlds under our own control, fantasy landscapes. (Professor Mike Pearson)

Photographers and artists have always found inspiration in their immediate location. There is a concept within Welsh culture Y Filltir Sgwar (The Square Mile), described above by Professor Mike Pearson. It is the intimate connection between people and their childhood ‘home’ surroundings. Use this ‘sense of place’ as the starting point for your first assignment.

Brief.

Make a series of six to twelve photographs in response to the concept of ‘The Square Mile’. Use this as an opportunity to take a fresh and experimental look at your surroundings. You may wish to re-trace places you know very well, examining how they might have changed; or, particularly if you’re in a new environment, you may wish to use photography to explore your new surroundings and meet some of the people around you.

You may wish to explore the concept of Y Filltir Sgwar further, or you may deviate from this. You may want to focus on architecture and landscape, or you may prefer to photograph the people who you think have an interesting connection to the square mile within which you currently find yourself. You’ll need to shoot many more than 12 photographs from which to make your final edit. You should try to make your final set of photographs ‘sit’ together as a series. Don’t necessarily think about making a number of individual pictures, but rather a set of photographs that complement one another and collectively communicate your idea. You may wish to title your photographs or write short captions if you feel this is appropriate and would benefit the viewer.

Think of this assignment as a way to introduce yourself to your tutor. There’s no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to respond to the brief, as long as you try to push yourself out your comfort zone in terms of subject matter. Try out approaches rather than sticking to what you think you’re most successful at.

Notes for the first assignment ‘Square Mile’.

Mike Pearson is a university academic of the highest level. He resides as a professional at this present time. Currently a professor at the Aberystwyth University in Wales. Holding a BA in his chosen subject – Archaeology. A MA also, in Education in Wales. A PhD in Wales also.

In the year 1968-71 Mike Pearson was an undergraduate, this was for the BA. He possessed this at the Archaeology University College, Cardiff.

Pearson studied towards an MA in the years between 1971-73. This was when he studied towards his Education MA.Ed again, at the University of Cardiff.

In the years 1972-97. Mike became increasingly involved in the Theatre and behind the scenes. Obviously following his preoccupation of developing as a theatre maker. Pearson became involved in Community Arts Project.

Pearson became a director with another co-director. They co-direct ‘RAT Theatre’ in Cardiff. This emergence was between the years 1973-80. From 1981-97 Mike was single-handed as an solo artist and prospered with fellow Artist and Designer Mike Brookes. Pearson/Brookes co-founded at the National Theatre Wales. They have achieved collaborated also with the Royal Theatre Company.

Mike Pearson has also been a Lecturer in the department of Theatre, Film, and TV studies. In the Theatre Department University College, Aberystwyth from 1997 and between 1999 -2014 he developed as a professor of the Performance Studies Department, in Theatre, Film , TV Studies. Holding a PhD and as unsalaried volunteer in 2009 of Falmouth University. In 2012-14 Mike also was successfully major research fellow of Leverhulme Trust.

Assignment One ‘Square Mile’.

My impressions and initial response to the brief was to think of the specifics and to then develop an idea. Principally, I thought go back to ‘day one’ for ‘The Square Mile’. Returning to my previous life I didn’t feel presumptuous. I felt a little agitated and discombobulated. Which is why I had two ideas in mind for this project ‘The Square Mile’. I reluctantly propelled myself wholly out of my safe zone. The area I was born in, and started my early years, was in South Norwood, London. Premature recollections and more current are pensively sad. I expand upon this in my notes for this project.

By option I decided to go back to the place of my childhood. I had to push myself out of my comfort zone. I done this sequently to meet the brief.

I would produce black and white images, my initial thought, principal, because of my returning to a place I once knew, therefore historical. Evidently, things change so black and white seemed more past tense. However, I didn’t want colour to distract from the symbols and the idea of timelessness. Although, my idea could also be in colour too. I am influenced by the timeless Robert Frank, his work, his photographs, in black and white. The way in which he uses light, emphasis to connection. He highlights shapes, form etc… Other practitioners I am influenced by are Rabik Hansen Sumon, Yane Naumoski, Ahh Tu Nguyen. They use symbols to evoke conceptual, abstract ideas, and to visualise – be perceptible.

The concept can be hard to successfully communicate so I was happy to research the very well known work of Tom Hunter the influential artist/photographer. Researching before the brief truthfully influenced my idea.

My first idea was the early years and the senses…so exploring my childhood home. The next idea is ‘transmission’- communication throughout life. I thought about my dissemination within my own subconscious. I had this perception of ‘dark’. The ‘lifecycle’.

I decided upon the second idea ‘transmission’… South Norwood is recognised by some because of the antenna aerials which can be sighted from Croydon and for miles around. South Norwood is an urban neighbourhood, built-up, which is where the broadcasting transmits for Capital Radio and Channel 5 is. Now home to Arqiva’s London Service Centre, located on Beulah hill, South Norwood. As you can see from my images the antenna is highly visible and a unique landmark.

The series of images with captions show a connection – ideograms indicating my notion. A flow of energy. The images sit together with the concept. Some include the church as a commutation symbol too. Or a fundamental idea, abstraction, a representation, the idea of my perception of past to the living mind today, gone tomorrow. Impacting, representations of this. The tree breathes today and tomorrow? The natural and the manmade.

Lastly, the word can be seen in an image ‘Alto’, meaning to halt… communicating an
announcement, and in future I could develop this theme further.

Image 1.

‘And before my birth, the question of distribution, of the unwanted weed, or could it have been the wish of ones dreams…communicating the paradox’

Image 2.

‘Babbling sound of the dispatched messenger to announce the delivery birth before technology took over’

Image 3.

‘Home to early years of encoding, intangible words, actions and pictures, the sender, channel and receiver of a sometimes vulnerable, isolated and defeated start’

Image 4.

‘Adolescents are growing towards survival of unstructured programme, aims and launched’

Image 5.

‘Data processing of image symbols is a bit like movement in the journey through life. The single arrow represents direction. One hopes to find courage, defense, protection from harm. Journeys through life are never straight forward, up…down’

Image 6.

‘Correspondence connection, know longer receiving, communicating news is for yesterday’s generation’

Image 7.

‘Church for Thanksgiving, the Strong and Weak Gravitate for Interactions, Through the Noise of Ones Mind, the Thread Longs for a Greater Understandings’.

Image 8.