Issue 11 by BUMF

www.bumfmedia.co.uk

Contributions

Editors Matthew Ponting Sveinn Snær Kristjánsson

Front Cover Phillip Howarth

Submissions Christian Marot Beatrix Hatcher Ellie Milner Hannah Young Ramadan Morina Phillip Howarth Harry Bhalerao George Tonks Megan Marett Lydia Rogers Müdrã Cristian Blanaru Tim Alexander Samuel Macdonald Matthew Smith Charlie Cooper Zion Amhari Alda Lilja Sarah Gomes Munro Jake Alexander Sveinn Snær Kristjánsson Ezgi Kaya Daria Iwon Gianluca Urdiroz Agati

SabbaticaI Officers Gio Garancini Chloe Harty

Find Us Online @bumfmedia www.bumfmedia.co.uk

Content Manager Sarah Gomes Munro Gallery Co-Ordinator Elise Wootten Gallery Assistants Emily Grigg Jordan Verdes Stella Kajombo-lee Flossie Page Juliana Kremianskaja Exhibitors Louise Hall Tom Preston Isa Bascunana Labrador Ellen Stewart

Introduction

What is BUMF? BUMF is the official student media group for Arts University Bournemouth. We publish some of the most commendable projects from AUB makers both in print and online. Editor’s Letter The theme for Issue 11 is ‘Impact’. We have collated a range of projects created by students from Arts University Bournemouth that relate to this subject. This issue of BUMF takes a new format, for the first time the projects are featured in an interview style giving you greater access into the works featured. We hope this increases your engagement with the projects. Progressing through the academic year, it has been so rewarding to see many more people becoming aware and engaging with the platform. We’d like to thank everyone who has helped to grow and engage with the platform. Recently, we have been recognised outside of the university. We are now being stocked throughout the country at multiple reputable arts centres including most recently the Jam Factory and Blackwells; both in Oxford. Thank you for your continued supported and we hope you enjoy this issue! All the best, Matt and Sveinn

Contents

Europa Christian Marot

Dream States Cristian Blanaru

The Suffragettes Beatrix Hatcher

Risographs Tim Alexander

Beauty and the Obscure Ellie Milner

Stumbling Blocks Samuel Macdonald

133 Days, 133 Posters Ramadan Morina

Primary Structure Charlie Cooper

With You Phillip Howarth

How I Learned To Do Nothing And Love The Wait Zion Amhari

Blue on Blue Harry Bhalerao

The Importance of Being Kind Sarah Gomes Munro

The Little Robot That Could George Tonks

The Aesthetics of Stammering Sveinn Snær Kristjánsson

That Happy Place Review Ezgi Kaya

Daydream and Drunkenness of a Young Lady Megan Marett

Highgate Hill House Lydia Rogers

Joy Daria Iwon

The Order of Time Müdrã

Emotional Impact Gianluca Urdiroz Agati

Europa Christian Marot What is your specialism? I am a London based Fine Art Photographer. Experimenting with a range of camera-less techniques my work explores the line between the abstract and figurative. Often working on a large scale, the works aim to provoke a sense of awe and ambiguity. What themes inspire your work? The natural world plays a common motif, attempting to conjure particular moods and feelings of an object or place. My ongoing series â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Europaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; explores unfamiliar and otherworldly landscapes that could perhaps be mistaken for the icy surface of Jupiters smallest Gaillan moon.

What type of processes do you utilise to create your pieces? Whilst the images resemble these barren lunar landscapes, in reality they have been created in a darkroom using large format film, a selection of minerals and compounds found throughout the solar system and the intervention of light. The use of such minerals and compounds, namely; salt, water and ice means that the process is indexically bound too Europa itself. Being that the icy surface encases an ocean of salty water that lies below. The works intend to provoke a dialogue and encourages audiences to question the process and reality of what they are looking at.

The Suffragettes Beatrix Hatcher What was the aim of your project? I set myself the task of making a series of images that would sit within the format of a non-fiction picture book on The Suffragettes. This is a subject as well as a time period that I have always been intrigued by but have never properly investigated. The project has been very research heavy and has been a lot about educating myself. I love taking a subject that is heavy and hard to get your head around and making it accessible to a new audience through illustration. Previous projects I have undertaken at University have been much more light-hearted, but perhaps not as personally rewarding. How did you find the research into this topic? Reading into the story of The Suffragette movement, it shocked me finding out how much I didn’t know about the women who fought for voting equality in this country. Of course the most notorious event that The Suffragettes are linked to is the Epsom Derby incident of June 1913 when Emily Wilding Davison stepped out in front of the kings horse, fatally wounding herself. But there’s more to these women than the surface level stories we are all told.

expected of women of the time and broke all the rules. Years of being oppressed by the figures of power in the country transformed mothers, daughters and wives into hooligans, terrorists, hunger strikers and arsonists. They learnt martial arts in self defence against the police, hid bombs in household objects, vandalised politician’s property and even released their own board game to name but a few of their schemes. The thing that the Suffragettes were best at however was exploiting media coverage in newspapers which was what eventually made them so nationally notorious. It had become impossible to ignore the voices of the women who had been oppressed for so long. 100 years on from The Representation of The People Act, we owe it to these women to take a moment to think about their actions and the sacrifices they made.

What is the context of these pieces? Led by the figurehead of the movement Emmeline Pankhurst and adopting the slogan “Deeds Not Words”, The Suffragettes defied everything that was 7

Beauty and the Obscure Ellie Milner Make-Up Artist – Ellie Milner Assistant Make-Up Artist – Eliza Jones Graphic Designer – Hannah Young Photographer – Anirud Krishna Models - Eddie Ikama, Abbey Fletcher and Holly Maddock What was the aim of this project? The purpose of this project was to combine make-up, typically associated with beauty, and insects, typically thought of as ugly and unattractive. Inspired by the microscopic photography of Levon Bliss, the make-up aims to take the beauty of textures and colours found in iridescent insects and reflect it in the hair and face. These transform and reflect the beauty in the, originally thought, obscurity of insects.

colours found on the insects. The concept allows room for both the insects and the models to remain beautiful in their own right. The medium of makeup uses a tool typically used to make someone ‘prettier’ or more beautiful. It is appropriate then to reciprocate that from the beauty of the insects and collide it with beauty in human forms.

What themes inspired the concept? Beauty is subjective to it’s observer and here we push the boundaries of traditional beauty. Inspired by Levon Bliss’ Microsculpture photography of taxidermied insects, we’ve bought these models to life; out of the ashes. Insects are typically thought of being unattractive, dirty, and general pests. However through Levon Bliss’ photography these creatures have been highlighted in all their glory. The detail of the images reveals hidden textures and a beautiful iridescence on the insects chosen. Taking this concept and applying it to ourselves as humans, we used makeup to echo the textures and 9

How have the photographs been adapted into a real world context? Designing the project to be placed in the National Geographic magazine allowed itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s context to support the natural inspiration for the makeup, the iridescent insects, whilst also celebrating the inclusion of society with the makeup design. The images taken were of amazing quality therefore designing the spreads needed to 10

showcase the makeup. All images are big full bleed, allowing room for the hair and makeup to be appreciated. The final images are paired with images of the insects, followed by zoomed in areas showing the texture and colours inspiring the project. Allowing it to sit comfortably within the magazine, the design followed accents found throughout, like the thin lines and margins for text.

133 Days, 133 Posters Ramadan Morina What was the design purpose of this project? This challenge was just a hobby to keep me occupied and just learn new skills. It all started from trying to find inspiration on poster designs and see if I can find any cool posters I can stick to. After finding various artists, I came across Vasjen Katro who would design a poster every single day for a whole year, so I thought if I would give it a go. What types of software do you use? Creating these posters has made me explore the potential of the many tools Photoshop and Illustrator offer to experiment and create unique designs. Sometimes challenging yourself and experimenting more might just lead to something new. I started using Cinema 4D which I selftaught, after using this programme for a couple months I started to get comfortable with playing around with the tools more which helped with me changing up my designs. Combining different software is the best thing for me, because I had unlimited tools for possible combinations with endless outcomes. I love using colours, gradients and typography. This had a great impact on my posters, but I like to see my designs as a product and not a ‘style’, I believe artists and designers who have a certain style and get stuck with it, and it can get a bit boring. Their designs or work 12

will always be the same, personally I change my designs very often, it’s because I try to keep it fresh which is a challenge, especially when I’m designing a poster everyday. How did you manage to remain consistent with the challenge? Time management was the most crucial but also the most difficult to maintain. Trying to balance my personal life as well as Uni work and this project was a task, most of the posters I’d design would vary, some days it would take 20 minutes, but other days it might take 2 hours. This had a major impact on me as it taught me how to make time to design a poster but also how to just manage my time through day to day life in general. How do you incorporate elements of animation into your designs? I’d always thought to myself as posters being mainly printed and still, but with the digital age, posters don’t have to be so old school, after looking for more designs I see that people would animate them and bring it to life. This to me looked really cool and I needed to try out, I’d successfully managed to animate a few posters but relating back to time management, it was really hard to balance personal life, Uni work, and this personal project at the same time, and wanting to animate a poster it would take a lot more time out of my day.

With You Phillip Howarth Photographer – Phillip Howarth Stylist – Olga Petrusewicz Model – Micky Spencer Assistant – Ryan Kelly What inspired the concept of this project? ‘With You’ is an autumn fashion editorial which explores moments shared between two people together. The inspiration for this work came from a 3,000 km road trip that my girlfriend and I took around Iceland at the end of summer 2017. Reflecting on memories of endless roads, vast horizons and whipping winds, I wanted to create an intimate series that captured these memories in a contemporary fashion context. Collaborating with Olga Petrusewicz, a Fashion Communication student who styled the shoot, brought my vision further than I had imagined. I was also inspired by the band Sunken and their track ‘Over The Days’ of which the vocalist states “[…] is about the progression of a relationship, the growth of two people together but also their growth as individuals,” Poppy Billingham (Wonderlandmagazine, 2018). I believe Billingham’s insight into the relationship she described is reflective of modern-day love. Societal and technological changes have redefined the modern relationship; couples can still be present in each other’s lives, yet physically 14

be apart. This relates to my relationship with my girlfriend which has therefore naturally become the foundation of this editorial. How did you integrate the environment into the imagery? By incorporating the presence of the car in the series, I wanted to reference the idea of a road trip and symbolise the journey two people take together, and the emotions experienced throughout that time. I wanted to capture moments of distance and barriers as well as intimacy and happiness. How did you become interested in fashion photography? It was during first year, I began to experiment within the genre of fashion photography. This led me to create narrative driven work and has since inspired me to research and develop my own exploration within this style of photography. This series is the result of my first level 5 unit in which I wanted to challenge myself by collaborating with other creatives and create an ambiguous yet complex narrative. I wanted to create a piece of work that opens an opportunity for the reader to use their own imagination and experiences to interpret the work in a unique way.

Blue On Blue Harry Bhalerao What is the motive behind your project? My project is a playful visual exploration of colonialism and the very real human impact on the environment, framed within a cute and childlike illustrated universe. I have created busy isometric scenes with my own cast of idiosyncratic blueskinned characters, and in my series of five illustrations, I show a cycle of careless environmental destruction and exploitation that is all too familiar in our modern world.

How do you utilise perspective in your work? Working in an isometric allowed me to be freed from the shackles of linear perspective, and draw in a way that would be impossible to capture using a real camera. This gives me the liberty to show everything throughout the scene in equal detail, whilst at the same time allowing the viewer to clearly make out the topography of the environment.

Can you describe your working process? When creating the concept for these illustrations, I was inspired by the rich and detailed ‘Where’s Wally’ books, and tried to replicate the way their scenes are overflowing with interesting characters and situations.

How have the identities of the characters developed throughout your process? The theme of environmentalism and colonialism was not my intention at the starting point of this project, and developed organically from playing with the characters and world that I created.

These were created completely from start to finish on an iPad, using Procreate. I sketched out the whole scene in rough, trying to play with composition and interaction between the characters and environments. I then refined my line work, trying to bring an expressive quality to the characters, and textured detail to the background. After this I applied colour, based on the limited colour palette that I use in most of my work. I find that a limited colour palette, when chosen carefully, is far from being restrictive, and actually provides a solid and harmonious framework from which to visually represent an idea.

Both the ‘fishermen’ and ‘jellyfish herders’ are simply following the motivations of their groups, to respectively travel around and build more boats, and to maintain their simple lifestyle; and it is the inevitable clash of these objectives that leads to the interesting moral themes in the work.

I have attempted not to be ham-fisted in my approach, and the fishermen are still cute, likeable, and relatable characters; hopefully representing the actual moral gray area in the real life conflict between environmentalism and inevitable human progress in which we find ourselves in 2019.

The Little Robot That Could George Tonks What is the narrative behind this animation? This project consists of a short animation following a plucky little robot, that has still to be named, stranded on a planet in which he doesn’t belong and making it his endeavour to get home. Along with his travels, he will encounter obstacles that will impede his quest and meet a lending hand. What software do you use? After only been introduced to the 3D software ‘Blender’ before the summer it has been one hell of a learning curve and many late nights of YouTube tutorials. If anyone, as seen the interface of it I’m sure has shuddered and has immediately gone back to Photoshop for reassurance. But slowly seeing my little creations coming to life has been ever so rewarding, even if they glitch out in remarkable fashion and fly across the screen. How have you found the process of character designing? Character designing is something that has always been a passion of mine, as well as storytelling. A good character design is fundamental to a good story and helps deliver the message you want to convey. I’ve always found interest in the way a character, so be it in animation can have such an emotional effect on the viewer by creating such an empathic bond to 18

the character be it in a couple of hours or even a couple of minutes to the extent in some cases bring a tear or two, having only known them for a short period. By designing something which I believe is quite cute hopefully the short pays off and has this same effect to some degree.

Daydream and Drunkenness of a Young Lady Megan Marett What does the concept of your project look like? I chose adult fiction as a sector, and within this produced 4 illustrations and a book jacket cover for Daydream and Drunkenness of a Young Lady by Clarice Lispector. The book consists of three short stories, each revolving around the secrets and desires of a female protagonist. I found the stories to be heavily metaphor driven, there is a continuous feeling of doubt and wonder thought throughout the text, so I felt that the illustrations I created would be less of an exact representation of what was happening with the characters and more a reflection of the environment they were in, with the hint of the character’s presence. Which areas of the text did you focus on? To decide which aspects of the text to illustrate, I selected quotes I liked or found interesting and illustrated what came to mind beneath them. Through doing this I found myself working primarily in pink, which I continued to do throughout the project as I felt it created a warm and feminine aesthetic which echoed the themes of wonder, doubt and realisation in the text. How have you worked to refine your style as an illustrator? I’ve found that so far at university, I’ve been pining to establish a personal ‘style’ 20

of artwork and have been yet to refine the various ways I work into one specific style. Each of my projects from first year all look completely different to one another, so my focus this year is to begin to try and create a recognisable aesthetic throughout my work. In this project, I experimented with different ways of creating work in crayon and pursued a minimalistic way of working which to my surprise has become a strength of mine. The simplistic style and limited colour palette I used is a format I have not worked in before, and when reflecting on my research of illustration within the adult fiction sector, I can see that this style can be adapted to suit many different briefs and genres. The look I have begun to develop here is one that I plan to apply to future projects I create and I look forward to seeing how my work from this project will influence my illustration throughout my next unit. What materials do you use to create your work? I made the decision to use traditional materials like pencils, crayons and collage to produce my artwork because I felt that these suited the minimalistic style I wanted to achieve. My images are made up of three layers of colour based on the importance of the object or character presented.

Highgate Hill House Lydia Rogers Can you describe the motive for this project? Highgate Hill House is a live project designed by architects Eldridge, London. As part of my External Brief Unit during the winter term, I was able to work with Eldridge on this project by making a presentational and record model of the design for their office. Why did you select these materials for the construction of this model? Completed over 10 weeks, the model is at a scale of 1:250 with a baseboard size of 425mm by 425mm. It follows the architectural practice’s house style of light coloured timber with a square plywood base, where the sides expose the layers of the wood. The practice is in favour of timber models over white architectural models because of the qualities timber

provide. This being: enhancing the aesthetic of the model with its natural appearance, it is quiet and calm as well as being a durable material that won’t go out of fashion in this industry. What environmental context has been created for this piece? The model presents the proposed design within its existing surroundings as well as representing the 3 cantilevering boxes that ‘floats’ above the living space below. The use of a darker veneer running under the house is to highlight this. Other design features the model includes is a courtyard with a tree in the middle of the house, a current in thing within architecture at the moment, as well as the reflective surface adjacent to the front door of the house. Model construction of

the private residential home has followed traditional architectural modelmaking processes. The base is made up of 32 layers of Lime veneer, each individually laser cut and hand stacked upon the main plywood base. By stacking veneer layers, it gives the impression of the hillside the house sits in to. The proposed house is constructed of an

acrylic core that has been neatly wrapped with etched veneer. Any glazing has been frosted on the inside to ensure the focus is centred on the exterior of the building rather than the interior. Context buildings have been hand cut and shaped on the circular saw out of solid Lime wood, each fitting into dedicated holes within the base. 23

The Order of Time Müdrã What is your project about? This project consists a series of images that play upon ideas from the book titled ‘The Order of Time’ published by the theoretical physicist – Carlo Rovelli. I take the often abstract ideas addressed within the book such as ‘local time’ and ‘now’ – both of which make reference to text denoting the ideas of the very personal nature of time, and how the term ‘present’ is really quite limited to just a singular body within the universe.

an open mind for things that I believe could be of use, be that now or later. Regardless of whether I start by hand assembling collaged aspects with one another, I most certainly always scan the work and further the creation process through digital means. This often includes adding coloured forms, textures and typography.

Other ideas addressed in ‘you’, take influence from a Buddhist text written in Pali in the first century of our era, and was cited in the book as a way of conveying the existential questions of being you. How have you taken inspiration from the source? I played on the idea that ‘you’ are none of your features in isolation, just how in the text they elude to the same idea but with a chariot not being just the wheels, axis or chassis, rather a chariot is the relation to all its working parts relative to us. Can you describe your creative process? My process first starts with the hunt for intriguing stimulus, this can be found in both analouge form through magazines or digitally through the depths of the internet. Sometimes I peruse with intent of finding something particular, other times I just keep 25

Dream States Cristian Blanaru What is your creative history? I was in my last year of high-school of arts in Romania when I typed illustration for the first time on my computer keyboard. I have studied drawing, painting and sculpting in a classical manner for several years but by the time I graduated high-school I was looking for something else, a new challenge perhaps.

What are the subjects of your illustrations? The subject of my illustrations concentrates around the human figure. I am fascinated by psychology, the mind and interpretation of dreams and I always try to convey a picture of the subconscious. I love to draw and look at portraits and to observe the glare of the eyes, which feels like an invitation to connect with the artwork.

I quickly found myself immersed in the beautiful images created by illustrators around the world and I decided I want to join that community and learn their craft. There was no illustration degree at any university in my country at that time, so I decided to leave home and study in England. I graduated from Coventry University with a degree in Fine Art and Illustration three years later. I took a year off after that and now I am studying MA Illustration at the Arts University Bournemouth with the goal to become a freelance illustrator and to quit having unfulfilling part-time jobs.

I am also inspired by symbolism, things that I read from books or magazines and another artistsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; work. I am writing to acknowledge the impact they had on me and to mention names such as James Jean, Owen Gent, Pat Perry, Sainer Etam, Thomas Cian, Rene Magritte and Egon Schiele.

How have your creative skills developed? When I started working digitally I was simply making clumsy brush strokes on top of scanned drawings with the computer mouse. I do now have a digital tablet, thankfully and I am still using Photoshop ever since. My work is mainly digital, I am using pencil and paper in the early stages as this helps me get the images out of my head in a more efficient way. 26

Risographs Tim Alexander What is the process involved in creating a risograph? The four prints were made using a risograph machine, the process is similar to that of screen-printing where you have a different layer for each colour. It’s essentially the same but it looks like a photocopier that you scan your artwork into and it transfers your image onto a master sheet which gets wrapped round a drum inside the machine and in turn, when the drum spins there is an ink cylinder inside which when spun, exerts ink outwards through the master and onto the paper that is being fed through the machine. Most risograph machines only have 2 drums so for printing more than two colours you need to change the drums and let your current print dry as the ink is soy based and should be left for at least 24 hours before being re-fed through the machine. However, it is a really fun machine to use. What themes have you explored? When people talk about “themes” in artwork I always think it sounds a bit pretentious. I’m an illustrator, and personally I just make work that I think people would want to put on their walls and look at, it’s not that deep. Although saying that my work is consistently character based perhaps there’s underlying themes of relationships and personal emotions subtlety running through my work 28

expressed through badly drawn smiley faces. I guess I like to let my illustrations do the talking. Why have you chosen this colour scheme? When you make work using a risograph machine, you’re limited to a certain spectrum of colours. Within the illustration department here at AUB we have about 8 different base colours you can use but with the risograph, the process is similar to screen-printing, so you have the option to blend colours together. For these prints in particular I chose to use a medium blue and a fluorescent orange ink as I know that the tones of the riso ink make these colours really nicely balanced between the base blue and the pop of colour from the fluro-orange. Also, as these prints were part of a personal project to take to the Brighton Illustration. What inspired you to create these visuals? These prints mostly came from my sketchbook where I rough out ideas and plan things out, I wouldn’t say I was necessarily inspired by anything interesting, all my work is just weird little ideas I get in my head and I jot down to come back to later. I used to watch lots of classic cartoons as a kid, there’s a few I still watch like Clarence, Hilda and Over the Garden Wall. As my work is predominantly character based, I like to observe human interactions and ways of being.

Stumbling Blocks Samuel Macdonald Writer & Director - Samuel Macdonald Producer - Matthew Smith Cinematography - Austen Lane 1st AD - Catriona Davidson Editor & Sound Recordist - Peter Maughan Sound Design - Samuel Macdonald, Peter Maughan Production & Costume Design Lily Soede and Martha Howe 1st AC - Mitoshka Alkova, Joe Kennedy 2nd AC - Harry Newman

Gaffer - Chris Speddings, Max Boon Script Supervisor - Sam Lewis Make-Up Artists - Charlotte Whelan, Lauren Jones Cast Jordan Holczimmer-Rees Megan Earl James Charalambides Gianna Vescio Aaron Katambay

Can you describe the stages of the script writing process? I wrote ‘Stumbling Blocks’ whilst on holiday in Croatia over the past summer, mainly drawing from certain fears and anxieties that had been playing on my mind about graduating from University and then trying to craft a character (Freddie) who reflected said fears. I enjoy writing whilst away from home, I think being in an unfamiliar space is a great chance to reflect on yourself and, in my case, an ideal space to purge a load of internal worries from my brain and try to make them resonate in a narrative sense. What is the synopsis of the film? The story follows Freddie, a burnt-out University graduate who seems content to meander throughout his days, evading contact with his parents, frequently disappointing Jen, his girlfriend in bed and pestering Michael, his only remaining housemate with his faux-philosophical

ramblings. These various stumbling blocks slowly culminate to an explosive revelation that will force Freddie out of his old ways and into a scenario where he must take responsibility for his own actions. How did you endeavour into directing? I hadn’t previously directed anything I didn’t shoot or edit myself, so this was a new creative pursuit for me and something I felt I had to push on with now whilst affiliated with a network of talented filmmakers as my friends. Working with the cast was definitely the most exciting challenge of the entire process for me, exploring ways to achieve results in their performance without bypassing the process of finding the necessary emotions to gauge those results naturally. We worked tirelessly in rehearsal through intensive discussions regarding character motivation, themes and the emotional core of the material to prepare for the dialogue-heavy scenes. 31

What was the experience of filming like? The process of making â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Stumbling Blocksâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; spanned several months, from the initial script drafts all the way through to the edit room, even a short film like this takes a long time to make. Along the way, one of the most rewarding parts was collaborating not only with fellow filmmakers, but students from a variety of other courses at AUB. We sourced numerous crew and cast members from the BA Acting, MUA, and Graphic Design courses who helped us make this project a reality. Even now we are still working on the finishing touches. However, hopefully we can share it with audiences soon and showcase the talent of everyone who worked on this journey with us.

How did you become inspired to work on this outside of university? After working on multiple university projects the year before, developing a personal project of our own was a vastly different experience. Not being limited by certain boundaries and also having the independence to make our own decisions in the production process gave us all a taste of what independent filmmaking is like. Challenges surfaced along the way, as with any production, and one of the most rewarding parts of this journey was tackling each problem as it arose and still working together to continue the film to the end. 33

Primary Structure Charlie Cooper What inspired you to create this project? I didn’t intend for ‘Primary’ to be a project I enjoyed and wanted to pursue so much. What started out as a simple Zsolt Hlinka Photoshop editing study has morphed into something so much more exciting for me as an artist. I’m allowing myself to take a graphic twist on the photography I’ve always been producing, playing with composition and colour in a way I never have before. It’s exciting and something fresh to work with and I find that completely inspiring. I’ve always felt myself drawn to graphic photography, and have always struggled in finding a way to make my work feel more me. I’m experimenting closer with composition and playing around with the shapes that buildings can make other than how they’re built, something that I’m really enjoying. The bold use of block colour helps make the pictures purely about the specific shapes that each building produces, creating some striking lines and curves.

all the buildings are the same style. The negative space against the intricacy of some of the buildings is what draws me to make more, the lines are contrasted against the bright colour. I want to explore this project more, as it’s so new to me, hoping to find a way to exaggerate this style even further. I want the pictures to feel fresh in contrast to the older buildings, showing the structures of architecture in a new light that people haven’t thought about before. I like adding a pop of colour into the series as I think it brings something refreshing to a lot of the more earthy, golden tones that are often found in buildings. I enjoy artists like Matisse that use a very simple bold colour palette, so this is something I wanted to nod to in my pieces.

What subjects inspired you to create these visuals? Architecture in large buildings has always intrigued me, so I have enjoyed playing around with large spaces and the colours that are re-bounded off their surfaces. These photos range from New York to the New Forest, yet they’re able to fit together in a set and this has allowed me to explore and not get caught up in making sure 35

How I Learned To Do Nothing And Love The Wait Zion Amhari

mercy of the present. My first resort was the twiddling of thumbs and the staring into space. That got boring quickly. When that happened I turned to reading. I would read just about anything and everything in my immediate vicinity- pamphlets on self-care, the trashy magazine on the latest Kardashian gossip as well as the nutritional information on the back of my salt and vinegar crisp packet. But this strategy too was just a wet band-aid on the malignant disease that is boredom.

If living without a phone for two and a half months has taught me anything, it is how to wait. When you don’t have a phone you quickly realise just how much of your life is spent waiting for things - buses, appointments, the conversation to return to a common ground. What does one do with that awkward time in between, too short for any practical use - the bits most of us would rather skip? When you have a phone — specifically a smartphone — you have so much control over what stimuli you are subjected to. You decide which apps to download, what songs to listen to and who to follow. Take that away, and you find yourself at the 36

And then I tried something crazy. I did nothing. I just waited, alone with myself. Instead of avoiding waiting, waiting became the game. “Aggressive Waiting.” The only rule is that if you attempt to fill the time before the wait naturally concludes then you lose. At first, it was torturous, it felt so wrong. Waiting at bus stops had graduated from a chore to something much worse, waiting rooms became prisons and conversational gaps seemed to last forever. But then it got a little easier. It wasn’t long before I could get through a 5-minute wait for the bus without a burning desire to end it all. I realised an awareness that came with Aggressive Waiting. I was forced to look up and acknowledge what was directly in front of me. In a way, I had felt as though I

Illustrated by Alda Lilja 37

had become the ultimate spectator. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not saying I had discovered the meaning of life or that I had become one with the universe, but I definitely began to appreciate the mundane that much more. I started to notice me noticing things; the way sunlight might interact with a banal object placed arbitrarily, as if it had been put there on showcase, specifically for me to contemplate. People as well, the familiarity two may have with one another, strangers to me, but not to each other. I also began noticing myself, even when I wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t waiting. I found myself having a 38

larger reserve of patience, which meant I could be a more pleasant, less irritable, person. I became more accepting of circumstances out of my control, so I spent less time worrying and more time taking control of what I could. As a result of those things, I felt I had become a happier, more content, person. Living without a mobile phone is not something I would lightly recommend, it is, for the most part, an inconvenience. In an age where everyone is so reliant on electronic communication, however, there is certainly something to be learned from its absence. Even if that is only the power in doing nothing.

The Importance of Being Kind Sarah Gomes Munro It sounds silly I know but think to the last time someone did something kind for you. Genuine kindness, the sort that doesn’t ask for anything in return or glares at you if you don’t thank it. Someone maybe offered you a seat on the bus or picked up something your dropped, perhaps they smiled at you across a room and said they liked what you were wearing that day. Now think back to the last time you did something kind, helped someone with their pram off the bus or an elderly person across the street on a windy day (this one keeps happening to me outside the Winton Lidl). Maybe you did it this morning, maybe you did it last week, however long ago it was didn’t.it make you feel good? Didn’t it freshen your perspective for the day? That little ball of unrequited joy at a touch of kindness is, I think, the most important responsibility for us wee humans. We are not the only animals to feel empathy, so lets not let ourselves become the only animal to lose it. Kindness is perhaps one of the most underrated abilities we possess yet it is one of the most powerful, what else can turn your day 180 degrees for such a small action? Sometimes it does feel like we live in a cold and heartless world, if that is the case we can be starting point to make it better. What goes around comes around, sow the seeds of what you want to reap, karma, lie in the bed you make, be the

change you want to see in the world, do a kind deed for the day; these messages are all around us and repeated to us day after day yet we often dismiss them. They might not always be part of our road to where we want to go, they can seem like distractions in a life already so full of them we don’t need one more. But I urge you, today, look around and offer one kindness where it could be needed and watch a smile spread some warmth in the world.

For those of you who haven’t resonated with this article yet, here is another incentive to be kind: the world is a small place. You don’t want to burn any bridges that you might later need to cross, and if you think about all the people you know 39

and who those people know, one bridge burnt could easily be 15 other people you could have met and could have built a successful relationship with. Let us not forget how non violent retaliation has brought down governments, changed minds and brought people together from all backgrounds. We can be kind to each other but also to the world and the environment, it is an attitude towards our every day that 40

can ensure betters days to come. It takes patience and regular toil to cultivate, it grows slowly and silently and takes you suddenly by surprise when it flowers, blooming good back into your life. If you take one thing away from this article let it be: The power to be kind and the power of kindness reaches far and is hard to shake off, let it imbue your life with the warmer tones of humanity. Start being kind today.

Illustrated by Jake Alexander 41

The Aesthetics of Stammering Sveinn Snær Kristjánsson For over 20 years of my life, my speech has been distorted, mangled, broken and irritatingly repetitive. At the same time my face twists and contorts into absurd positions to speak and on other occasions everything just shuts down or performs a spontaneous reboot. During that time I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve wished I didn’t stammer, wished I could just stop or to that I could just say my name without pronouncing it with 12 esses at the beginning. Recently I’ve come to realise that maybe there’s nothing wrong with me at all. Maybe my wiring isn’t really faulty and this is just the way I’m supposed to be wired. I’m not in pain, I’m not sick and I always get my words out eventually, albeit sometimes quite creatively. Who would I even be if not for my stammer? For most people who stammer, the worst part isn’t stammering itself but the glances, the eye rolls, mocking and idiotic questions and unwanted advice that always seems to ensue. We’ve all heard the phrases, “breathe”, “you don’t have to be so nervous” and “why don’t you just sing your words” far, far too many times before. Fluent people seem relentless in their battle to get us to assimilate. It’s no wonder since popular media reinforces the image of stammering as a symbol of weakness, mental illness or even stupidity every 42

chance it gets. The purpose of my project is to try to give a somewhat realistic portrayal of stammering. My own point of view. I’ve collected the myths and misconceptions that seem the most prevalent in our culture towards stammering and illustrated them along with a few points that I, and many others have wanted fluent people to know for a long time but haven’t had the courage (or the fluency) to say. The nature of the work is collaged photographs and video frames, the reason I used that method is so that I could recreate and emphasise the distortions in the face

and the little ‘glitches’ as I call them. The work allowed me to be very experimental, cutting up the images, tearing them and crumpling the paper up to get the effect distress. To finish the images I riso-printed them. Partly for the beautiful textures and the vibrant colours that can’t be achieved

with mechanical printing but mostly to add another layer of that unknown element. To me, printmaking is much like stammering. I control what I want to say and how but there’s always some element I couldn’t prepare for. The little mistakes that make up the aesthetic of my work, and my speech. 43

That Happy Place Review Ezgi Kaya Stepping into the theatre, you are surrounded by a fog. The definition of perfect is projected onto the wall as the performers flow out one by one. The audience surrounds them, watching intently as they turn their bodies into shapes and sculptures to the music.

Letting go of the definition of perfect and finding happiness within everyday joys such as being with friends at the beach. These little moments become happy places in our memories.

That Happy Place explores the concept of happiness though a range of inspiration including BBC DJ Fern Cottons book Happy: Finding joy in every day and letting go of perfect. The show was directed by BA (Hons) Dance course leader Jane White and choregraphed by second year students themselves, inspired by their own experiences and memories and in collaboration with third year BA (Hons) Costume and Performance Design students, whom created a calm sea of blue, grey and white costumes. The performance looks into moments of the performerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lives, recreating their feelings and experiences of both happiness and insecurity. These are told through, duo and solo performances. All aspects of the production come together and create an elegant and meditative yet powerful performance, telling personal yet relatable stories through movement and music. The performance concludes with both the audience and performers watching a video of the performers together at the beach and photos reminiscent of their childhood. 44

Photography by Red Manhattan

Joy Daria Iwon What was the inspiration for this project? This project was inspired by Ingrid Fetell Lee’s book ‘Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness,’ which looks at the psychology and nature of joy, and how it can be created in our everyday lives. She talks about the power of colour, abundance, rainbows, confetti, balloons, amongst many other things that we find joyful for many psychological and survival reasons, and I wanted to capture this within something that brings me a lot of joy, which is textiles and embroidery.

What styles of media did you employ during this project? I believe textiles play a much bigger role than just looking beautiful in our homes and on our bodies, and I wanted this textile collection to embody that within its fashion context. I aimed to create textile samples that engaged the senses and were eye-catching and rich in shapes and textures through the use of print and hand embroidery, and to capture little ‘aesthetics of joy,’ as Lee calls them, in order to bring more happiness and joy into the Autumn/ Winter market of luxury fashion, during

the often dark and dreary space that winter in the United Kingdom tends to be. I looked at the idea of Maximalism and the concept of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;more is more,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; by layering heavy embroidery and embellishment onto already patterned fabrics, and by contrasting hard and soft materials by using things like acrylic beads on faux sheepskin, or pompoms on faux leather. What was your aim for this project? The thing I loved about this book and its idea of joy, and why I decided to pursue

it as a theme within my project, was that it was not trying to change the world, and instead was inviting everyone to create small changes in their lives and environments, and allowing people to be more present and joyful. Through this collection I aimed to highlight and spread the importance of not always looking at the bigger picture and instead taking the time to notice the little things that can turn a grey day into a beautiful one, and that small moments of joy can change your life and the life of others around you. 47

Emotional Impact Gianluca Urdiroz Agati A punch, a car crush, a body hitting the ground… Action scenes come to mind when I think about impact. It’s often physical, fast, loud and dramatic. However, the last few months I’ve been thinking of the deep and silent ways of emotional impact. Of how there are moments that may not have been physically impactful, not even dramatic, and still they resonate in the future with an intensity that wasn’t there when you lived it. In mid-August of 2016 my grandmother passed away, she had been ill for a few months. It happened slowly enough for most of us to expect it, but so quick during the last days not to be able to say a proper farewell. At 7am I was at home and I received an SMS from my mom who was in the hospital, confirming that would be an important day in my life. Calm, I went out to the window and saw a softly warm summer morning in a city that was starting a new day. Nothing seemed to have changed in the life around, the landscape or in the city, and yet I knew deep in myself that a lot had just happened in my life. In the future years there’d be moments, apparently random, maybe late at night, maybe travelling in a train, that will trigger deep feelings I didn’t feel at the time.

she explained how in 1937, when she was only 12, her parents had put her on a boat to England, as a way of saving her from the Spanish Civil War, and how she ended up living here the rest of her life. Maria Josefina started recalling her hometown in Spain, ‘such a beautiful place…’, she stopped and started crying softly. In March of 2017 I was going to photograph Paco Robles, another one of the 4000 children that were in the same boat as Maria. Every now and then he would repeat that his wife had passed away a few years ago, then in the house there were many pictures of her hanging around. During the interview talking about his experience as a War Refugee Child, and growing up in a foreign country, I asked him whether he had ever thought what his life would have

In April of 2017 I was interviewing a woman called Maria Josefina for a documentary project at my second year in Uni. As I was filming the interview, I asked her to start by introducing herself. She said her name, 49

been like if he had never experienced that. He paused and said that he didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know if things would have been better, but he knew for sure that he wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have met his wife. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s strange to think why certain moments, 50

places and people have such deep roots within our emotions, and how their power resides not as much in the present as they do in the future, when their memories are less expected.