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Creative Futures
Interactive Arts 2012 Manchester School of Art
contents
At a glance interview with 4_5
60 _ 65
‘Poles Apart’
(Interactive Arts Marking Scheme 1996/97)
Tony Eve and Dave Smith
(Interview with the founders of Interactive Arts)
essay by 8_9
Manchester School Of Art
114 _ 117
Jane Brake
(architectural blueprint – floorplan, roof detailing, 1990)
(portrait followed by ‘This is NOT A MANIFESTO’)
foreword by
contacts
10 _ 11
118 _ 119
Jon Biddulph
Creative Futures
(portrait followed by opening statement)
58 _ 59
Interactive Arts, Class of 2012
10 _ 11
(School photograph)
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Credits
writings by 18 _ 19
Dave W. Jones
34 _ 35
Adam W. Renshaw
32 _ 33
Ryan Higgins
48 _ 49
Joanne Keogh
28 _ 29
Katie Rhodes
74 _ 75
Kay Woodley
interview with 24 _ 25
Rebecca Wild
statement by 12 _ 13
Sonny Barker
40 _ 41
Miriam Baynes
14 _ 15
Samantha Jayne Hipkiss
42 _ 43
Rebecca Duffin
16 _ 17
Kieron Izquierdo
44 _ 45
Holly McGurik
20 _ 21
Phil Simpson
46 _ 47
Brigid Smart
22 _ 23
John Grocott
50 _ 51
Pete Kingsford
26 _ 27
Emma Hardaker
52 _ 32
Rhys Fagan
30 _ 31
Runa Begum
54 _ 55
Adrianne Brookes
36 _ 37
Daniel Watson
56 _ 57
Helen Austin
38 _ 39
Joel Moore
66 _ 67
Laura Burke
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writings by 76 _ 77
Stefano De Luchi
98 _ 99
80 _ 81
Enya Koster
100 _ 101
Rosa Vaughan
112 _ 113
Marcelle Holt
Thom Thatcher
statement by 68 _ 69
Roushay Homayoun Fekri
92 _ 93
Wilson Logan
70 _ 71
Manchun Chu-
94 _ 95
Rebecca Lange
72 _ 73
Anne Davies
96 _ 97
Liz Greenwood
78 _ 79
Sam Kelly
102 _ 103
Alexandra Grace Cussons
82 _ 83
Sophie Whiteford
104 _ 105
Marcin Wozniak
84 _ 85
Arnold Pollock
106 _ 107
Kerry Perkins
86 _ 87
Katie Barnes
108 _ 109
Sasha Beaumont
88 _ 89
Helen Milner
110 _ 111
Lauren Taylor
90 _ 91
Kate Merrick [7]
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foreword by
Jon Biddulph
Welcome to the 2012 Interactive Arts Degree Show. Once again we are proud to celebrate the breadth and diversity of our graduating students. During their time with us these students have created, and contributed to, numerous successful events both outside and in the University. The setting of The John Holden Gallery is particularly appropriate for this group who earlier in the year created the Tea Room, Holden Gallery Café, a working café – part performance, part public service, part entrepreneurial venture. For two weeks both the space and, in a small way, the culture of Manchester School of Art were transformed. That event will enter our collective memory and the evolving heritage of the Art School in Manchester. We wish each and every one of these students good luck and every success in the future. Please, enjoy their show. Jon Biddulph Programme Leader B.A. (Hons) Interactive Arts
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statement by
Sonny J. Barker
I consider myself a minimalist who has developed his practice through abstracted art, constructing sculptural installations. Within my practice I often utilize found material, specifically wood, metal objects and sound. Polaroid photography, collage and drawing are the primary sources I use when creating concepts. My work is usually concerned with the inanities of modern life and has a basis in time and the effects that time has on our general surroundings. I am interested in the philosophy of the flaneur and this subject matter appears within my art. At the moment I am researching roadside markings and roadside scars that are evident within the confines of the city. What interests me about this study is the virtual randomness of design elements that exist within these forms. The roadside markings have an almost semiotic aspect when they are captured as photographs and are very much hieroglyphic when taken out of context.
image :
‘Roadside Markings’ (One in a series), digital photograph, 2012
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statement by
Samantha Jayne Hipkiss
The themes that thread my practice together are reminiscence, loss and the processes we personally use to recollect. Using objects as tools to communicate narratives, my work aims to be tactile and evocative. While exploring the haptic, I consider the connection between sensory experiences and recollection. Responding to my interest in sensory therapy, I make tangible items, with the intent of triggering emotions and memories in the viewer as they interact with the work. Using cabinets, chairs and other familiar structures, the objects are concealed within the furniture. Secret compartments aim to provoke a childlike curiosity in the spectator. The hidden items inside the structures are a response to the collections of sentimental objects I have gathered over time. These miscellaneous materials have significance only to me in respect to my experiences and people I have known. Because of this the objects can be incredibly ambiguous and have no obvious meaning or value to others, which is something I respond to in my work. I intend the structures I make to be explored, the objects to be handled, and the audience to find their own meaning in my abstracted representations of personal memory.
image :
‘Untitled’, photograph, 2012
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statement by
Kieran Izquierdo
My practice comes from research into traditional filmmaking, in particular the framing devices, standardised properties and functions of the film camera in relation to cinema. However, I work within the scope of video because its properties and idiosyncrasies offer a different set of rules I find fascinating. The speed in which I can create work and the naturalistic aesthetic video offers are important, I recognise the past technology but refuse to be constrained by it, my conviction is that we must embrace the new. Currently I use the human body as a sculptural element that is reflexive to our environments, using my body as an offering to an audience, not as a voyeuristic pleasure but a sacrifice as an empty vessel. There are no histrionics or an identity; just a shell the viewer believes they can affect, like Werner Heisenberg’s observer effect, whatever you study you also change. My video work often employs minimalist settings and dialogue, allowing me to focus on the visual language so it may take precedent; my belief is that the physicality of the moving image is secondary only to the visual storytelling and narrative.
image :
‘Structure’ video still, 2012
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writing by
David W. Jones
On Collage: The phenomenon of collage, referred to herein in the broadest sense of the word – incorporating the related practices of montage, decoupage, bricollage etc. – as this artist perceives it exists not only as a catalyst for artistic creativity in contemporary spheres (and has also, of course, in those historical): it lies at the base of creation itself. The merging and reacting of elements; the tendency of living creatures to adopt survivalist characteristics, synonymous with the term “evolution”; concepts of creation and destruction (in the sense of universal “editing”): all revolve around the act of adding, subtracting or replacing of one from another that also constitutes the fundamental principle of collage. For example, the adding of one element to another results in two elements joined and this union thus creates a new third element. In our creative reality, the factor of chance inherent in our physical environment (or more accurately, our individual perception of circumstance) mixes with our intent producing an amalgam that we call the product: the clothes one wears or the way in which one decorates one’s home are simple, everyday examples of populist collage that work in the same way as those of a more traditionally artistic nature or otherwise: elements are drawn together and presented by their users – curated, to speak artistically – in the hope of presenting their intended suggestion. The construction of a “collage” in the commonly regarded artistic sense – more often than not an image composed of other images combined – is of course a collage within a collage within a collage within… etc. as it includes in addition to itself the
characteristics of its creator, their upbringing, their past and present environs, availability of materials and so on, and is in this sense no different to anything else that exists now as it once did not, the only difference being that the common artistic “collage” – as long as traces of its construction are visible to the viewer in some way – is a more explicit, honest representation of the fact that both our physical and psychological realities are forever in a state of constant flux. More than this, while the creative act of collage construction offers to us virtually limitless possibilities, we are still able, with a little practice, to produce from the seemingly infinite series of compositions that ourselves and others may perceive as being characteristic as “our own” or “of our style” – reflecting the way in which we all, throughout our lives, perceive and appropriate elements of the world around us: the way in which we subconsciously edit our views of the collective reality accordingly. The revealing of recurrent themes, allusions, images, materials, sounds, colours or methods of composition mirror with precision and assist the revealing of the deep psychological subconscious of their creator, if they are willing – and know how – to interpret them.
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image :
‘Lament For Babs (Homes With Red #2)’ hand collage, 2012
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statement by
Phil Simpson
Phil Simpson is a photographer and digital artist. His practice revolves around the contemporary world, where he explores different environments. Simpson enjoys the artificial environments of the city and its buildings, particularly fascinated by the social and cultural implications that manifest within it. Manchester has always been a primary source of inspiration and common subject in his work. This gives him a unique opportunity to try to understand and connect with the city.
As man brought the city to ‘being’, Simpson argues it to be inherently natural. However, it is the way the environment, like any other, can physically and mentally control its inhabitants that truly fascinate him. His imagery reconstructs the cityscape with influence from Supermodernist and Situationist ideas, combining photographs of Manchester’s buildings with simple graphic techniques.
Earlier in the year Phil was honoured to be a finalist in the M.E.N Arena’s Manchester & Music photography competition, and was immensely proud to be shortlisted in The Times & Eureka Magazine’s Young Photographer of the Year Awards, with his image ‘A Vibrant City – Barcelona’. Reconstructivism Architecture outlines the streets and map. It also defines the people within it, controlling them spatially, influencing their movements and behaviour, as well as their hopes, dreams, virtues and vices. Buildings not only create an identity for a city, they create ideas about lifestyle. Status of wealth is reflected in architectural forms and urban spaces, where the glossy, supermodern structures of most city centres may represent cultural aspirations of wealth, glamour and fame.
image :
Top: ‘Java #2’ digital photograph, 2012 Bottom: ‘A Vibrant City – Barcelona’ digital photograph, 2010
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statement by
John Grocott
My practice is motion graphics based, creating digital 3D models in software and incorporating them into installations. My work involves amalgamating digital media with historical methods of optical illusion in order to make objects appear in real space. My current work utilises an old theatre trick, Peppers Ghost. Historically, the technique was employed to create the illusion of ghosts and spirits on the theatre stage. In my modern adaptation I use the process of ‘reflecting’ digital 3D animations that are developed and resulting with a projection on a transparent surface produce a 4D simulation of an ‘object’. The object is stripped down to its ‘primitive’ configurations. For me it is a continuous investigation into the fundamental values of geometry, questioning the relevance it holds in contemporary society.
image :
‘Test Number 5’ still from animation, 2012
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interview with
Rebecca Wild
q
What is the technique you use to create your work? a I specialise in the technique of scanography; using the scanner to create art. I use the scanner as both a camera and a canvas to question the way art is formed and apply unconventional means to the creation process. q
Why this technique in particular? a I am drawn to using a scanner due to the quality of the images produced and endless combinations that can be created within its restraints. I find it both cost effective and aesthetically pleasing to use a scanner and it enables me to express myself in a simple manner. My use of the scanner in this way is unique to my practice and it helps me to stand out from other artists using this medium. q
What is your main subject area of interest? a My main area of interest is in the creation process and finding new and interesting ways to generate a piece of work. In particular I am interested in the experimentation process and how different fluids react together. I also have a keen interest in alchemy and the processes associated with this and have been applying
q
the subject matter. I choose shades full of vibrancy to add colour to the dullness of everyday life.
a
q
a combination of alchemist theories and aesthetics to my work. Why fluids in particular? I am instinctively drawn to the naturally forming patterns that fluids create both within my work and externally. I love the moment when two opposing liquids combine and the reaction that occurs from this brief encounter. When I am working with the fluids, I am reminded of the importance water has within our daily lives and the links to our natural fluid origins. Water in particular is mentioned within numerous creation stories and we cannot live without it so I feel it is appropriate to utilise this fluid in particular, as it represents the very essence of ourselves. q
How do you select the colours and fluids to use within your work? a My work is full of experimentation and this is a key aspect in how I select the liquids and colours to use within my work. I combine different types of fluids, pigments and oils until an uncontrolled reaction occurs. In regards to colour; they are usually symbolic of my mood, experience or are chosen in response to
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How do you want an audience to respond to your work? a My work is open to interpretation. This allows for the viewer to form their own explanations about the work and apply their own connotations to it, stimulating their imaginations of what they think they see. q
Where does your work fit in contemporary society? a I feel that my work is a contemporary outlook on the concept of painting and is something that has not been explored before. The creation process is something usually hidden from the public when they are confronted with a white walled gallery space and 'static' work and so I hope my fluid paintings can represent the dynamic, messy yet beautiful process of creating a painting and bring it to the publics attention.
image :
‘Materia Prima’ scanography, 2012
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statement by
Emma Hardaker
I am compelled by an interest in the relationship between art and insanity. I am fascinated by the way mental illness is depicted through artistic interpretation. I am particularly intrigued by outsider art and the works created by the so called insane, constantly questioning the links between genius and madness and how these have developed into such a common romanticism. My work principally explores my own sanity or rather insanity, by creating pieces that test and question my own psychological state. I feel that by questioning my mental state I can encourage myself to create something more interesting than if I hadn’t.
I find that most of my work is based heavily on learning and research. I feel that my work is enhanced by my deep understanding of the subject matters and as such I often present my research alongside my pieces. Thus providing a better understanding of my concept for those viewing the work. Placing my work in the public view allows me to discover how an audience connects to it and permits discussion of the piece to ensue; I find this often helps to further develop my work. For me interaction with people is key to my practice and in developing my understanding of insanity.
My preferred modes of communication for these ideas are performance and video installation. Although I do like to explore other ways in which to document my performances rather than just filming. By doing this it means that an audience cannot react to the piece on the same personal level that they would if they were watching me. On the reverse, this also highlights why I like live performance: it is precisely this personal interaction with the audience, and the raw and intense feeling it creates, that I feel challenges me to test myself, and in turn, explore how my mind works.
image :
‘Ritual’ video installation, 2012
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interview with
Katie Rhodes
Katie Rhodes’ art is created with the aim to uplift people. Working in a ‘pop up’ style, her work revolves around happy love messages that she has seen in public places or received on her blog, and sending them back out to brighten up somebody else’s day. q
What do you do? I produce work with the aim to make people smile. My art is created in the hope of it being spotted, found and passed on or taken away to share a little bit of happiness and love with everybody else. I work in a ‘pop up’ style by recycling happy messages. These can be seen popping up in public places and will then disappear or they may appear in your letterbox. a
q
Where do you get your inspiration for the messages? a I take my inspiration from typography that I see in public places, I note down graffiti phrases that I see and like on the streets, buses and benches. I also get some of my messages from a blog I run in which people send me similar messages or notes they have received or sent. I have received messages from around the world, including Melbourne, Madrid and Vancouver.
How did the project begin? Pop Up Love’ began on a trip to Berlin where I saw a message discarded on a piece of card on the ground saying ‘Love You, Baby’ and I wanted to send out the message again in the hope it would eventually reach the person it was written about.
q
a‘
q
How do you display the messages? a I reuse the happy messages I find in numerous ways, such as through silk-screen printing, letterpress and by creating my own fonts using objects I find. I like my messages to be primarily handmade and I enjoy using traditional crafts to create the recycled note. I carry on the theme of reused by ‘upcycling’ old items and using places that I consider unloved and forgotten in my work. By exploring charity shops and car boot sales I have a collection of frames, books, tablecloths and jars that I like to use in my ‘Pop Up Love’. I enjoy thinking about the stories behind all of the discarded objects and giving them a new life and imagining people seeing my work, and smiling.
image :
‘Love In A Jar’ pop-up installation, 2012
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statement by
Runa Begum I use embossed prints to develop a visual narrative for the audience to assist them to see the journey I have travelled within, to produce these refined concise prints.
My practice is stimulated and realised through printmaking more specifically etching. I use etching to repeat hand drawn grids to illustrate the banality in production. I use etched grids to discuss the narrative of individuality juxtaposed with unity. I use etching because it sets out very definite methods to achieve successful prints. I use etching as it creates a sense of security; it showcases the beauty in the everyday traditional method of making work. I use etching as it allows personal presence and the tangibility in printing, it highlights human error. I use etching with the restrictions it holds, it forces me to analyse simply, and adjust to the limitations of the workshop. I use etching as a process of endurance; it creates guidelines for consideration adjustments, and developments. I use embossed etching, as they are representative to human existence, which may be considered as delicate quiet and reserved. I use embossed etching as it creates a new set of issues for discussion, every action has to be readapted and adjusted to produce minimal prints. I use embossed etchings to repeat grids to refine and ultimately create a perfected print.
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image :
‘Print’ digital photograph, 2012
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writing by
Ryan Higgins Tactfully, addressing issues that are relevant to your practice like ‘gallery space, aesthetics, movement, participatory, engaging and spectacle’, here aim to highlight the depth of ones practice crossing the boundaries of artistic thought. And thus, creating a platform that the work must live up against.
What is an artist statement? I reject the fundamental rule that you need a good artist statement to galvanise your practice. What are statements, anyway? The world of contemporary fine art practice has taught the yearning art student that he has to be professional. Taking on the role of the artist, critic, and gallery scribe. Contextualising your ideas into what is a fractured example of you as an artist. Which leaves the audience feeling completely overwhelmed by your needy, selfish ways to impress.
The artist statement not only becomes the guide of the unknown, but the beacon of expectation. Setting the challenging task to compete with the contemporary thinkers of the art world to ‘think’ reflectively about your concerns on aesthetics in a gallery context. The work sits according to what has been wrote, by you, ‘the artist’. Which may or may not be in the same vein.
As an artist I have indeed succumb to this traditional method of the artist statement. Using the triggers of ‘I consider myself a conceptual led artist’ and ‘my concerns with the notion of space’ only trivialise what my practice is about. (Indeed, I am concerned with those things)
The reward is in the conversation when you are in the gallery space and someone has picked up on those key terms you now have to fight your way out of.
The struggle to sit down and make a statement that is in a way reflecting the contemporary art gallery can (only be hoped) to bamboozle the audience into believing you are highly engaged with theoretical debate, with regard to your practice. The struggle is in the hidden agenda that you have somehow freaked out about the nature of this process and actually forgot what stimulates you as an artist.
images : Background, Holden Gallery, archival photograph, courtesy of MMU Special Collections Inset, ‘Study of Movement, installation, 2012
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writing by
Adam W. Renshaw
This Is Not A Statement: Writing about myself is hard, tedious and not a particularly rewarding thing to do – so I’m not going to. Instead I intend to write a piece on your behalf: as I am now at the end of a fantastic and thoroughly rewarding contemporary art education, I feel genuinely equipped to sing your praises and express your practice in the light it deserves, allowing a wider art-savvy audience the privilege of connecting to the innate that is inherent in your own process and action, showing the concerns behind both subtle and outlandish interpretations of the human condition, particularly in regard to experience, the language of space, and human interaction.
Importance in the work as a catalyst for engagement generating fascination and reward from the process of engaging with your work in a manner that allows for greater understanding of the joy involved in its conception. The reawakening of interest in the experience of your practice: this involves you having the idea of the experiential gain of the collective understanding in your best interest, thus ultimately highlighting your good nature and genius.
As a fellow artist/curator I feel I have a little insight into the driving motivations behind the way you define your art, unrestricted by conventional and trivial interpretations of what governs your practice in contemporary society. With the work at this time influenced by the idea of the event, performance art, material contact and the actions of the everyday, I really feel that a wider audience – although a valuable tool in defining your individual artist traits – are ready to connect with the core theme in a way that both delight and enrich you and your viewer. Key points I hope to highlight in this text: Your ability to engage with your emotional state while incorporating a real-world experience, thus magnifying the possible amount of enjoyment/understanding you manage to get from any situation whilst simultaneously contextualising it and monitoring its meaning for moral stability.
images : Background, Holden Gallery, archival photograph, courtesy of MMU Special Collections Inset, ‘Childhood toy’, photograph,courtesy of Stefano De Luchi, 2012
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statement by
Daniel Watson My drawings are influenced by the people I meet and the exoteric ideas circulating around my head however, to an audience who may not know, my work appears as a swirling mass of abstraction and repetition. It does not directly address the issues of what influences me. Nor would I want it to as this is hierarchical and assumes prior knowledge of the viewer.
Focusing on minute dots, my work examines the quality of individual marks in forming a larger holistic form. The media that I use to construct these swelling shapes are always subject to limitations of my skill, space and time. Which is why my preference is a wall and a paint pen. In my work on crowds, I attempt to examine the deconstruction of hierarchy and the politics of multitude. Here people exist on a plane suspended in possibility. Under no banner or union, united by indifference. Where class, race and gender do not matter, in response to a new global era, where democracy is in crisis. ‘Empire’ (as it has been termed) has no centre and is a network of devolved institutions and hierarchical structures. Supranational institutions like the I.M.F and World Bank are not subject to democratic accountability. Whilst this presents a question of sovereignty of nation states, it’s the individual liberty that needs to be addressed. Absent of the constructs of nationality, race, and gender. The multitude calls for a shift from mere protest movements that still function within these boundaries. To propositional movements whereby instead of just critiquing ‘Empire’ we must provide an alternative.
image :
‘Multitude’, screenprint, 2012
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statement by
Joel Moore
As an artist I feel my main role is to depict the modern, contemporary world around me. I do this through the use of everyday objects and discarded toys; in particular, iconic characters that are ingrained in modern culture and span generations. The playful nature of these objects and their place within our childhood stimulate and engage the viewer, providing a platform to address broader issues within society, such as consumerism and social stereotypes. By subverting these objects I am not only changing their appearance and identity but also the context in which they are perceived, exploring our relationship with these items while questioning their ultimate role within society. My recent work is centred around superheroes, investigating what these characters symbolise by exploring the ideologies and stereotypes they promote regarding gender roles and body issues that are reinforced through childhood. My fascination with all things miniature, coupled with a strong sense of attention to detail have led me to construct a series of detailed dioramas to house my customised figures; strengthening the narratives within my work. These miniature scenes show a world where these once powerful and immortal characters become mortal, facing the same daily pressures and expectations placed on all of us. Re-imagined for a new generation, here the extraordinary become the ordinary and fantasy blurs with reality.
image :
‘Urban Alliance series’, 3D model, 2012
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statement by
Miriam Baynes
My recent work is based on the folklore story of the selkie; a mythological skin shedding creature living as both human and seal. I have played with the tale’s underlying premises of restriction, dual identity and social roles. Having been truly fascinated by this story from an early age I have investigated it further to try and understand why. I believe the story echoes my own belief that at some time we all feel restricted within our own bodies or social standing. The concept of escapism in a double life reflects our innate craving of being temporally released from our usual confined existence. I chose to highlight these matters by making wearable yet restrictive bodily adornments that blur the line between humanity and the ‘other’. In adorning these seal-like pieces, the wearer is granted a temporary release from their own life, and permitted to adopt the identity of another being; certified to live within two forms at once.
They are subsequently released from the confines of their own form and allocating a second covering skin. This new skin permits the viewer to be transitorily, both human and seal, within an otherworldly – yet strangely familiar scenario.
My starting point of the selkie story has developed to emphasize roles of identity and femininity in contemporary culture. Using wearable, yet physically limiting pieces, I demonstrate the restriction we impose upon our individual freedom in order to fit a role and to conform. This is suggestive of impractical fashion demands and social expectations we strive to achieve. My installation, encasing the seal-like adornments, again plays on the concept of mind body dualism. Upon entering the space, the viewer adopts the physical restrictions of a body that is not their own.
image :
‘Seal Skin’, scan of lasercut leather, 2012
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statement by
Rebecca Duffin
My practice is concerned with how people feel the need to humanise their pets. I have looked into and experimented with this in my practice. Children and the way they learn has a strong influence on my work. I found there is an extraordinary connection between both children and animals’ responses to learning. When children view my animations, I hope they can see similarities to the way they act and potentially motivate them to learn. The curiosity they share through discovery is what I bring to my animations. I feel it is only through animation that I can portray the humanisation of my dog’s thoughts, whilst being able to capture certain behaviours. I am intrigued by the portrayal of humour through actions. I am attempting to visualise the world with a dog’s perspective, while investigating how other animals experience that same world.
image :
‘Mooch Scratching’, animation stills, 2012
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statement by
Holly McGuirk
I am a mixed media artist primarily interested in illustration, particularly from childhood literature. My work is predominantly illustrative drawing but can often incorporate painting, collage and some digital art. I am influenced by my favourite children’s books and graphic novel illustrators as well as architecture, novels, interesting objects, places and stories of all kinds. I like art to be something tactile, something that I can hold and touch, rather than something mounted up on a gallery wall. I experiment through trying out new media, techniques and styles of drawing, varying between several styles to suit the feel of the writing. My work always contains notes of fantasy with subtle humour and silliness. I work by creating characters and building a world around them. I write short stories and playful rhymes and bring them to life with illustrations. I have at present written and illustrated two children’s stories and one story to be enjoyed by adults and children alike.
image :
‘The Slow Mountains’, etching, 2012
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statement by
Brigid Smart
“Some men see things as they are and ask why. Others dream things that never were and ask why not.” – George Bernard Shaw I am driven by a desire to inhabit the virtual worlds and life experiences promised in a pre-computerised age. Immersive, extraordinary places that in reality remain beyond the realms of possibility. I create illusionistic environments, exploring the extent to which traditional skills and contemporary technology provide an infinite supply of possibilities and resources. I imagine idealised, creative, living, fun spaces for work, rest and play. Evolving dynamic spaces in which to explore futuristic potentials. My research centres on what lies between and beyond what we see. Using elements of Feng Shui, my ideas evolve into creating organic urban environments of multi dimensional, colourful dwellings; prototypes of innovative, inspiring spaces. My current practice focuses on creating abstract animations through a sequence of replication. Using a combination of technical skills to manipulate a variety of materials, drawings, photographs, found media and text, I animate shadows and images, edit video and develop creative text. The camera and computer are integral to the development of my practice. The process drives the creation into a moving trail of morphing images through time and space.
image :
‘What lies beneath?’, video title shot, 2012
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writing by
Joanne Keogh
Growth
Evolution
Etch Charting
Atmosphere
Classification
Statistics
Reproduction Stability Rarity
Collecting
Nature
Structure
Indicators Fossil
Symbiotic Ecosystem
Magnification Cluster
Organisms
image :
‘Xanthoria Parietina’, Worsley Woods, 2012
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statement by
Pete Kingsford
I am drawn to the work that I do because I am an observer. I am constantly studying the things around me and looking that bit closer, asking myself if there is more to what I am seeing. There are many moments in our lives that we glance something, it makes us momentarily happy or sad or just sparks our imagination and then we let them go, I like to record these moments. I think that if I have taken time to consider them, then they are worth recording and potentially offering the opportunity to reflect on that moment with others.
I am challenging the concept that we cannot see the world through each other’s eyes. I have been asking people to describe how they see things and in parallel with this attempting to create a pictorial representation of the world I see.
There is a certain amount of spontaneity to my photography and I capture large volumes of images. My work demands careful scrutiny and consideration at the selection and editing stage, to ensure that quality and suitability for a project or exhibition overcomes personal likes and dislikes. While at the same time, striving to never lose sight of what originally drew me to a subject matter. I believe in honesty with regards to the pictures that I show and limit myself when using editing tools in an attempt to retain the integrity of the moment I originally witnessed. I am continually working on a project concerning how people visualise the world around them. Being aware that I am constantly questioning what I find interesting about the world I see and how I see it, I want to investigate how others experience their visual world.
image :
‘Untitled’, garden wildlife project, photograph, 2012
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statement by
Rhys Fagan
My practice experiments with dance, sound and illustration. Being a dancer, I have developed and studied ways of moving and dancing with and without sound. My dancing aims to blur the boundaries between kinetic and audio energies. Examples of this include my research into Cymatics, which is the study of shapes made through vibrated material. Inspired by Cymatics I want dance to be represented as visual sound. I believe sound passes through the body, creating visual movement similar to Cymatics, therefore receiving these sounds makes us become sound ourselves. Sound is everywhere therefore I believe that every person has a connection. When we interpret sound, we will also give it out, such as a foot hitting the floor or the movement of wind around the moving body, therefore creating a constant cycle of vibrations.
unique movements and representing creativity through constraint. The piece points out how it is impossible to achieve the same movement more than once, the difference in space will always change, making each movement original.
I explore the body’s restrictions as ways to create movement. In order to document movement we need to simplify it. My research into slow motion causes the mind to understand each movement as a whole, creating a foundation to build on. I create events that utilise talents as an artist and a dancer, such as ‘Style of Walking’ that was performed at ‘Contact Theatre’, using a range of creative talent. In doing events like this, I have realized I must push the boundaries of myself in order to reach new heights within the world. Jimmy Restriction This piece aims to discover the potential movement of the human head. Isolating it in one position will limit the possible movement, therefore allowing it to be documented. When the body is restricted it often finds other ways of adapting, creating
image :
‘Jimmy Restriction’, video still, 2012
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statement by
Adrianne Brookes
My photography is inspired by the everchanging landscape of my hometown Failsworth. Throughout my lifetime I have witnessed the town being stripped of its historical buildings and the openings and closures of business – leaving a town barely recognisable from my childhood. Through conversations with family and friends, and my investigations into records dating back to the 18th century, I have been unwrapping the rich history of my town. My work duplicates images of the past, mirroring the locations and allowing the viewer to examine the modifications side by side. In my investigation I have used both digital and analogue techniques to create a reflection of the towns historical and contemporary state.
image :
‘Failsworth 1950 – 2012’, photographs
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statement by
Helen Austin
My practice is concerned with the uncomfortable reality and presence I hold with my own physicality. My sculptural installations are a response to this and the intimate relationship I have with my body. Working with fabric and plaster enables me to realise my anxieties through my practice, connecting my thoughts and feelings through material expression and putting it into a visual perspective. My sculptures in turn become my own source of personal therapy, strengthening and understanding the ties between mind and matter. My recent work focuses on the circumference and measurements of my own body, revealing my height and form. The environment in which my installation is displayed becomes a barrier between the viewer and the artwork itself. This encourages the viewer to acknowledge the powerful element of psychological constraints that I enforce upon my physical body.
image :
‘Artist Studio’, photograph, 2012
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interview with
Tony Eve and Dave Smith
Interactive Arts ‘Creative Futures’ originated in September 1993 under the direction of Dave Smith, Tony Eve and Nick Fleming. The purpose of this interview was to understand the story of how Creative Futures became the Interactive Arts degree we know today.
We are in a really fortunate position that we can talk to you; you’re here now, not two hundred years before us like the leaders of a fine art course. I think there is a real connection here and that is important. We talk about heritage and what that means and how to define that in contemporary practice, in an area, which we are pushing forward. We are coming to the end of our degree and it is important for us to understand what everything you put into writing this course means. We are here for a reason, and we joined interactive arts for that reason. Whether any of us fully understood the reason we joined Interactive Arts is debatable, but we get it and understand it now. I suppose to be able to hear or see the raw elements of what happened to devise our degree course is quite inspirational in a way really, quite revolutionary in many respects. TE – So you have some questions for us? So, Interactive Arts was originally going to be called Creative Futures? TE – Creative Futures was Dave’s idea. DS – Well actually no, it was a joint idea. We tested it in schools and about three hundred people responded to it as the most appropriate name from a choice of about 50. People in the survey thought Creative Futures best reflected the role of creativity in an unpredictable future. TE – Unfortunately the Vice Chancellor was very unhappy with this name because it didn’t have a subject in the title and therefore it didn’t sound like a university degree course. Do you think there was a definite political conflict between what the course was and what the institution thought it was that influenced the name change of the course? TE – It wasn’t that we had to change it; they wouldn’t allow it, so we worked around it. DS – If we had kept the name ‘Creative Futures’, it would not have been approved at that time. The Vice Chancellor was adamant and dismissed it. He told the head of department at the time that he didn’t want to see anything like this again.
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So in that respect ‘Interactive Arts’ works, doesn’t it? In hindsight do you think Interactive Arts was the right name for the course?
So Bauhaus would say “design the door handle” and Interactive Arts would argue “take the door handle off and just push the door open”?
TE – We never thought it was the ideal choice. We struggled with it but the idea of interaction and networking between communities, technologies processes, practice and ideas was fundamental to the courses – we went with it.
TE – Who needs doors?
DS – I have some very interesting stuff here, some very early stuff. (Pile of early course documents and proposals). I mean, I can’t believe it is twenty years since Tony and I sat together under a tree in Alsager struggling to define the new course’s philosophy
There were many things in addition to the contents of the document that happened on the course; it was difficult to keep up. But all that time you’re working under the constraint of people who think you’re mad, very ‘down the line’ academics. It was really difficult to get things past people who don’t have your perception and passion. Fundamentally it was subversive; the difficulty was actually getting it accredited by the establishment. The only way we could do it was by compromise and insight.
Was that the eureka moment? TE – Well, no that was after we thought about and planned it in our minds. Well after we got permission to go ahead with it. I had originally sent a letter to the faculty about starting a new course that was very open, multi-disciplinary degree course and encouraged students who were keen to test their ideas. The Dean gave his go ahead to write it, through our then Head of School, John Hyatt, who greatly helped in getting the course finally approved. The document was an accumulation of 60 combined years of research. DS – We did a lot of research for it looking at the foundation course, which was a very lively active course. The problem with the Art Foundation Course is that its intention is to turn the students’ thinking around in six months, to get them on a degree course, that’s the priority. If they don’t get onto a degree course, in a way you feel like you’ve failed them. So a three-year course was very different, with fewer restrictions. We had to have a change of mindset to write the course, which was difficult after teaching on foundation for so long. DS – I think there was something quite interesting in comparing it to Bauhaus as it was a big influence on us, this is obvious. When trying to define the difference between Interactive Arts and Bauhaus, I think that the Bauhaus was actually craft based, whereas I think this course is much more concept based; so that you went through the craft but with the concept leading you through it.
DS – This is a leaflet I did late on foundation that holds a lot of what I thought about interactive arts at the time.
It’s interesting that the people making these compromises were the artists at the core of the proposal. So, in a way, the manner of approaching the situation becomes the artistic brief. DS – Well the director actually said that it was ridiculous to ask students to mark each other’s degrees. Historically, assessment is actually an important part of the creative process, as much as anything else. DS – It is like giving power to the people who you are assessing, we were trying to undermine that in a way, getting students to realise that assessment was an intrinsic part of the creative process, a skill they had to develop. Being able to assess other people’s work as well as your own is important. Assessment is a fundamental skill within this process. Since then this practice has become widespread throughout the faculty. TE – Are students involved in self assessments now? Oh yes Do they still do the self-assessments? They do, but with not so many questions
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DS – There was around sixteen categories on one, the idea being to make you use the left and right side of your brain whilst assessing. Normally people use the left side of their brain to assess work logically, it deals with the idea of measurement by comparison. However you use the right side of your brain intuitively to make aesthetic judgments.
the more expert you are at something the more difficult it is to step outside and see it in a different focus.
On the original assessment you had to fill in all the questions in two minutes, mainly using the right side of your brain relative to two poles of extreme values. It was based on an American linguistic tool called Osgood’s semantic differential, which allowed you to compare concepts between different cultures, such as politeness, which can be seen as both strength and weakness. Having next done a left-brain ‘comparative’ evaluation you amalgamate the two to arrive at your final assessment. In the initial stages did you imagine the degree progressing into what it has become today? Did you predict that it would still exist now? DS – I was very worried the administration would take over and actually concertina into a Fine Art course. TE – It has always been an untidy course, as far as the university has been concerned; it’s never quite fitted. They still don’t understand what interactive arts means I’m sure.
DS – So the idea is that you become a facilitator. That would be your value to whoever employed you, for whatever you went in to.
TE – It might make it more dynamic, or you might see it as having more potential – to offer more opportunities.
Would you say that Interactive Arts has always been quite a politically driven course?
DS – Interactive arts is catalytic in nature, so the way you approach things means you’re going to set people off, so yes, you need to feed off problems in that way. They need it to alter the way they think about their own subjects. Going into an area where expertise doesn’t dampen, it facilitates because you have the perception.
DS – Well the idea that with expertise comes mindset. You have a particular view of something your expertise is defined by the understanding of it. But
The idea was getting those students into a place where there was a close link between the mental state of learning and being creative. You’re actually trying to get around these mind blockages to see things in a new light. The difficulty of learning is that you can’t get out of your past experiences very easily. The more difficult this is, the harder to learn anew. This link was fundamental to the way that Interactive Arts students would develop and the idea that they would then be able to leave the course, analyse a situation and identify the critical factors within it very quickly. Understanding it in terms of its rhythm, how something worked. Then being able to advise the people with the expertise, how to get more out of their expertise. The Interactive Arts student has gained insight without blockage and so would be able to see potential in that field.
Would you agree that Interactive Arts needs to be surrounded by things that it can develop from?
TE – There was a mention in the original course philosophy about challenging experts.
One of the things people said was what can Interactive Arts students do outside the course? I would say about a third of them were really interactive arts students, with sympathy for the course, and two thirds almost treated it like a fine art course.
TE – The first year was incredibly political. Nearly all the students came from Manchester Foundation Course with quite few mature students who were politically motivated and that did help to shape the course and add to the course dynamic It could be argued that we are still a political course, highlighting possible problems with the establishment and challenging obstacles in the way of our creativity. But it hasn’t stopped us, it’s made us... TE – determined?
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Yeah, we are really determined to do things people might not necessarily address. We find it important to deal with academia straight on, making points such as the Tea Room Project, bravely making statements against the institution. The Tea Room was in a way an oxymoron, a good and beautiful social environment created to address heavy political issues that were true to our beliefs. TE – Like the sting in the tail? We were thinking about the real reasons no one was happy with the vending machines in the gallery cafe space. And since the tea room it has reverted back to that.
DS – It’s just pressuring people more towards courses like business degrees. TE – When tuition fees were first introduced we suddenly saw a change in students. DS – The idea of the market and someone supplying the customers shifts responsibility, like it’s not their responsibility. I think also in a context where everything is becoming marketable you know in a market it’s like you’ve actually got competition. It diminishes responsibility within the students. It makes it too easy to get out of their own responsibility by adopting the role of ‘clients’. Do you think students will begin questioning their own creative minds, worrying about which course they should be doing?
TE – You mean it’s just gone back to how it was? We were adamant that the Tea Room would only ever be temporary. We removed all evidence of it afterwards and that was the bigger statement, as if it never existed. People made a point of asking when the Tea Room would return. The Tea Room will not return, we see it as a serious social art piece, an opportunity to converse with staff and students, wrapped within a 1930s themed art performance scenario.
DS – Irrespective of paying for a course, it is the value you take from it. And that will sell a course. Did you have dreams to take Interactive Arts national? TE – We talked about making it private. Tell us more…
TE – That’s exactly the sort of thing we would expect from IA students. There used to be a staff canteen years ago, it was really busy. People from all departments- architects, designers, fine art people, etc. Some students occasionally, it was fantastic and so much more than just a social benefit. All sorts of cross faculty projects were born and it became an important place to be – to talk and exchange ideas with staff from other disciplines. Perhaps run as a financial loss but it was an educational melting pot for new ideas and a necessity in any creative department.
TE – We used to talk about the idea of getting out of the university because there always seemed to be so many constraints.
That reflects our intentions of the Tea Room as a student run space that would fund itself from its’ profits alone. The concept of money within a university is interesting at this point in time due to the vast increase in tuition fees. How do you feel about students paying to be on a course, learning to be creative, and in turn, getting into debt due to learning to be creative in this way?
DS – In some ways that was the worst thing that ever happened to the Art School. In the sense that it became a polytechnic, and fine art for example appeared to be intimidated by the academia of other courses. Instead of looking at it and saying ‘what have we got that they haven’t, which makes us unique’, they tended to be put into a position where they felt they were not as academic as other courses. They began to lose what was fundamental to 1960’s art education, as, regrettably, theory became detached from practice. Maybe it is a shame it’s not a national course. There’s ambiguity in what you’re doing within a fine art context because it is completely dependent on the environment you’re in. This echoes our own concerns with regards to working together collectively after university.
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We imagine that an Interactive Arts fourth year could be very effective if it was brought about in the right way. DS – I suppose like a postgraduate course. In some ways interactive arts as a concept is a postgraduate course. So you know how you actually have people doing their own ‘graphics’ and then doing interactive arts as a postgraduate course. Which would help them to get more out of the expertise they’ve developed and the knowledge they’ve collected. Our thirst for ideas and the desire to push boundaries is, in a way, a response to the fact that we are leaving soon. The potential for this to continue is exciting.
DS – The idea was to create a dynamic body of knowledge for the course (Interactive Arts), which everyone could contribute to. That was going to be the archive. Unfortunately, we were ten years too early because really it was the internet. TE – It was really Wikipedia, wasn’t it? DS – Well Wikipedia started in 2001 and I think we were trying to do, in 1993, what Wikipedia does today. But the main problem that we had was that memory was so expensive and to form the archive it had to be physical because you couldn’t put a threehour videotape onto digital memory. It was just out of the question – it was just too expensive. In hindsight, if you could do it all again, knowing what you know now, is there anything you would have done differently?
DS – It could be a postgraduate level just not in a university context. Did the political and artistic atmosphere of the time influence on the course at its inception? DS – You mean in terms of its origins? Yes, also the concepts of communication and how networks are non- hierarchical and in a sense antiestablishmentarian. TE – You know, in terms of the art school they were tightly defined by their subject matter. So we were trying to work across boundaries and also outside the art and design boundaries and outside the university. Ken Robinson describes the school as a factory. Where areas are divided into departments and the students are in batches on a conveyor belt. We could say that the ‘art school’ today still has that kind of characteristic?
DS – We had great problems getting the archive running as the archive hardly existed then. And it was a real problem because you were trying to produce a system; and an information system would need a librarian. Students who were using it very much in an internet way ran it. But, at the time it was difficult for people to spend time running it because you would normally pay someone to be in the middle. In common with all centre periphery models, it depends on the quality of the operator at source. TE – I think it was probably monitoring it. But one of the good things was that it was in so many forms.
DS – Well, the art school is cooperative. TE – Are you saying that art school is like a factory? Yes, in the way that we are put through an institutionalised market place, to emerge as a product. However, I do feel Interactive Arts is different somehow. DS – Yes, but you get factories that have a rigid hierarchical structure. One of the main things I was interested in was that education in this country is very much based on a Victorian model, each course being defined by their own relatively static body of knowledge. As there is no natural mechanism for
redefinition of the course content, people who were teaching were able and happy to keep things the same from year to year. To put such a static course model into an increasingly dynamic world is asking for trouble.
D – Rather than being central to the course it was on the periphery. Given the opportunity again, I would strive to emphasise the dynamic body of knowledge’s importance within the course. Do you think this body of knowledge could have manifested itself in an online interactive arts database? DS – When the internet was getting under way in the late 90’s, I said well, there would always be a need for an archive because whatever form it takes eventually,
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you have got all this mass of information and you have to select what you think is important. Then you’re saying to people look at this, which is a model you would see now very easily on the internet. But at that time you didn’t. It was actually the act of selecting and what that provoked. And what that provoked is actually important.
confident. But even people who struggled on the course (talking to them after they have left) have said they got a great deal out of it, and realise what its impact on them, and what its potential has been. Many students made their own way through the course and have become very successful in their careers. The themes you speak of still exist today. Do you think the course’s intention was to grasp a component of inevitability; the idea that Interactive Arts is part of a bigger picture of humanity?
How do you feel about the impact of the computer with interactive based works today? DS – It’s like anything – you could see it as detrimental or you could see it in a positive way. Potentially, it’s an enormous asset.
DS – Zeitgeist
Do you think that the growth of new creative technology challenges traditional values of what the art school is about? TE – No, not at all. The computer is a flexible tool and like the course the application of technology and processes will allow and extend the growth of ideas into new horizons.
TE – It seemed something that was really natural to us which flourished and will develop beyond our expectations. It started as a development from the Foundation Course philosophy which grew and we didn’t always know where it was going to blossom. And that was the joy of every year…
DS – Well I think that comes back to where the craft is within the process. I see it as facilitation to something whereas actually you need the craft to develop the concept. What’s your opinion on theoretical and written work in creative practice today? DS – I think it’s incredibly important but I don’t see one without the other. It’s the information you’re thinking with. I don’t see it as some form of limitation on your creativity to be well educated and knowledgeable. I think it’s very reassuring that you’re so involved. It’s very gratifying. We are passionate about interactive arts because we now realise that we are in a fortunate position. The world is changing and our course reflects the world around us. TE – The course was about embracing the idea of change. I think as a course students can take what they want from it, many students initially found it difficult to share ideas and to understand what they had got out of it as they were not particularly
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statement by
Laura Burke It is about the concept and creative thinking that facilitates a better understanding and acceptance.
My practice is about having a holistic and creative approach to problem solving. I draw boundaries. Creating scenarios for things to happen and occur creating interaction, reaction or conversation. I do this by using workshops, interventions and conversations. I learn from people by engaging with them. My practice is always a two way process, where a participant has as much to offer me as I have to offer them. I like it to feel balanced, a kind of exchange. I believe that creativity is not just about the application of skills but about engaging and encouraging independent thinking. It is important to resolve my practice through discussion. Everyone has opinion, each one being of equal validity. This emerges from the use of workshops to generate conversation and debate, to enable individuals to express a creative outlook on ideas. My current practice is research based flirting with the boundaries of sociology and use of cartography. I create maps and diagrams as tools to try to interrelate the contradictory tendencies found within our society and within ourselves. I find these are excellent visualisations of ideas and thoughts. I challenge and attempt to resolve a part of a problem by achieving a better, deeper understanding, or expression of it. The notion that ‘you are everything you will ever be’ raises the question, to what extent is our life directly our responsibility? Using workshops gives me the opportunity to engage in conversation and learn other viewpoints. The real challenge for me here is not about producing or creating spectacle.
image :
‘Studio Space’, photograph 2012
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statement by
Roushay Homayoun-Fekri
Hair / Knitting / Petals / Photography / Memory / Religion / Loss / Tradition / Intimacy / Hairdressing / Politics / Identity / Body / Fragility / Sentimental / Delicate / Colour / Craft / Asthetics / False / Textiles / Romantic / Mythology / Patience / Touch
The meticulous detail involved in the production of my work requires patience and endurance. I find I am driven by a desire for perfection, shown by the rigorous application of individual strands of hair to a surface. Part of my work is ensuring the entire appearance maintains a high standard of looking clean and immaculate. It is important to me that the surrounding areas reflect on the quality of the piece. Using hair is essential to provoke a reaction in the viewer. Hair is something an audience can easily relate to, however when it is presented in an unfamiliar context it immediately becomes unattractive and grotesque. Placing hair in an unusual environment detaches its femininity and sexual connotations. Looking particularly into religion and fashions influence on hair, my relationship with the process became a way to communicate how disposable these issues are today. I find I am able to communicate this through my practice in a contemporary way, demonstrating how art can also be disposable.
image :
‘Hair’ (Artist’s Own), digital photograph courtesy of Phil Simpson, 2012
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statement by
Manchun Chu-
Photography is one of my favourite creative medias. I enjoy exploring the world with a camera. It allows me to capture the world with details, in a physical or mental way. I am fascinated by photography because it highlights the interesting in my mundane daily routine.
image :
‘Self portrait’, photograph, 2012
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statement by
Anna Davies
My passion for model making started from a young age. With my Grandad being a railway model-maker and my great uncle a dolls-house maker, I was surrounded and fascinated by small-scale structures. My work has started to incorporate these two elements, as I want it to be engaged with similarly to a dolls house. The challenge of making realistic models is what excites me, as I subvert the audience’s expectations of what is real. I would say my work has a sense of nostalgia in addition to whimsicality. My work is very personal to me as the models have been drawn up and constructed from inspirational buildings and my imagination. The models that can be seen in my current work are based on buildings from Victoria Park, a place I spent much of my childhood exploring. I work on a small scale to challenge myself and develop my skills. I want my pieces to look as realistic as possible, although the majority of the time I work purely from my imagination. It is important to me to use as many found materials as possible. This may not be the quickest way but it adds authenticity to the piece. I value my mistakes, as they become part of the story behind that particular piece. I know a piece is finished when it stops looking perfect. My reason being is that nothing in our world is perfect; everything has imperfections, architectural structures included. I intend the audience to travel back to their childhood, when they would have played with similar models. I use this familiarity to intrigue and engage them. images : ‘Victoria Park’, model making and present, 2012
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interview with
Kay Woodley
Kay and Kay Conversation with myself: q
What would you say your work is about? a My work is about relationships. I’m currently working with video to interview family, friends and acquaintances, asking them questions about myself. I want to know what they think of me, how they perceive me. q
Why do you use the interview process to do this? Interviewing gives me a platform of authority. I’m questioning the interviewee, from the perspective of a person they know; but I take on a more powerful role by becoming the interviewer. I have the opportunity to bring attention to subject matters that wouldn’t ordinarily be discussed.
of interviewer against my role of daughter, sister, acquaintance, friend and girlfriend. q
What are your objectives when you set out to do these interviews? a For me, interviews are a form of self-exploration. By bringing a camera into the conversational scenario I am testing the social barriers of the relationship I have with that person. q
What are you hoping the audience will take from your work? a I am hoping the audience will be given an insight to who I am, but also be able to empathise with my work, seeing aspects of themselves and their relationships reflected through the interviews.
q
Are you affected by the answers you receive to your questions? a It depends on the questions I ask, and the person that I’m asking. The intimate relationship I have with each person is put into an unusual structured environment, which sometimes provides answers I may not want to hear or may not agree with. This explores the tension between my role
images : Top ‘In the bath’, video still, Bottom ‘Interview with Mum and Dad’, video still, 2012
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writing by
Stefano De Luchi
Vita è come una corda in vibrazione, ha principio in uno slancio di energia. D’apprima irrequeta, estatica, cerca stabilità. Nessun può dire quando e se essa troverà mai l’equilibrio che cerca. La caduta è sempre in agguato. E come essa è venuta essa anche se ne va, questa volta l’energia ricevuta viene data, e così la danza della vita continua, e nel ritmo e melodia si cela il suo mistero.
My work is deeply connected with time. Time as the dimension wherein life manifests itself. This inclination has conducted me to work with interactive-based installations and recently performance. I am interested in how possibility and physicality can join together. An essential part of my research is about sound and how it can be connected to life.
image :
‘Together’, image from performance, Venice, 2012
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statement by
Sam Kelly
The work I produce is a response to my research into society and its divisions between pressure and defences. The imagery I create uses optical illusions and the idea of camouflage to imply the repression I feel exists in Western society. I intend to bring attention to the deceptions we face, and the illusions we create to conceal ourselves in order to alter the perceptions others have of us. The fundamental issue I wish to question is the illusion of money and the quick fixes that only money can buy. The statements I am making are in response to my experience of growing up in the working class community of the North East. My perspective of money is that it is merely an illusion, an unrealistic concept that can be used to manipulate power over others. My intentions are to underline the opinions I have of the fabricated influence that material products have, and our attachments to them. In my eyes, people are forgetting their origins and connection to the physical world. With individuals now having an online presence and social media sites providing a virtual identity, I believe people are losing the ability to have human interaction with one another. Using digital software to create my work enables me to explore the boundaries of digital imagery and three-dimensional design. This allows me to create geometrically precise, graphic imagery that would otherwise not be possible. By experimenting with mediums such as painting and drawing I can develop my ideas in an unrestricted way. As a result, this experimental process informs my final compositions.
image :
‘Spheres of Adm’, digital print, 2012
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writing by
Enya Koster
Enya Koster is primarily a model maker who works in different mediums to achieve her ideas, which are usually story based. For instance ‘Hooked’ is a story that is commenting on the changes that are happening in our society, as well as the ideas of reflection and the transformation from man to fish. Her only want is to make people feel in awe of her stories and to make them dwell in the fantasies she creates. Extract from ‘Hooked’:
(a piece of automatic writing by Enya Koster)
The drain made of scales and grit was tall and spectacular The golden water ran dry near the spoiled carcass It was changing from man to fish its features would no longer fit Too obscure it would seem for any fin to be unclean She knew she collected too much nothing could make the world she hated appear not in mirrors or even the other’s sneers In and out it flowed round the bend the forest of blue It became a skeletal mesh of death and birth But she would always come to pick meat off the bones She would always come to beat the shoals and tend her willing herd
image :
‘Hooked’, 3D model, 2012
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statement by
Sophie whiteford
I am concerned with digital art and image manipulation. I have focused on creating illustrations that accompany short stories, media related articles and responses to my personal life.
Portable audio devices fulfil a similar function – drawing a parallel with how people interact with religion and music – both of which are forms of worship in their own right.
I use this form of expression to help cope with and organise my thoughts. Music is an important influence on much of my practice, and I find it difficult to work on a piece without audio accompaniment.
I have chosen to synthesise these ideas by replacing the saints you would normally find on traditional religious icons with famous and influential musicians who are themselves the subjects of tragedy and legend.
I currently use a graphics tablet to create my initial paintings and illustrations, in comparison to traditional methods. The work within the exhibition is a collective manifestation of my interests in musical artists, illustrative digital paintings and the imagery of byzantine orthodox icons. Wooden icons of saints can easily become the centre of a makeshift shrine, so people feel connected to their faith wherever they go.
image :
‘R.J.E’, digital print, 2012
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statement by
Arnold Pollock
Documentary making throws me into unfamiliar situations and the mysterious worlds of other people. Using a camcorder and being politely inquisitive gives me a strange permission to dig below the surface into more fascinating regions. Most recently, I’ve been following the curious stories of bodybuilders from G’s Gym in Macclesfield. The documentary explores the reasons and surprising motivations behind the lifestyle. I have trained with them, conducted interviews and I’ve been a fly on the wall in the gym and backstage at bodybuilding competitions. My goal is to make tremendous looking documentaries that share unseen worlds.
image Top: ‘Posing At Macclesfield Forest’ video still, 2012 Bottom: ‘Back Stage At Pendle Valley Contest’, 2012 video still, 2012
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statement by
Katie Barnes
Inspired by the world around us, locations and how we perceive them, I am continually trying to find ways to present my ideas. I am concerned with small scale illustrations as well as developed installations. I work with a variety of mediums. I mostly use paper as a material for drawing upon and cutting into, ink for illustration, and for installation pieces, I favour light and projections and photographic documentation. I use simple materials and tools, as they do not complicate the information on display, which allows the viewer to easily interpret my work on a personal level. My work reflects upon themes of science, geography and history, and my continuous fascination with cartography and maps. I use pre-existing information such as geographical maps, data on stars and constellations to create my work. My recent work is concerned with how things of apparent permanence, such as architecture and constellations, are in a constant state of transience, despite often being taken for granted as a static factor in our fast-paced modern environment.
image :
‘Glossop Cosomology’, photograph,2012
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statement by
Helen Milner
The main focus of my work is identity, questioning who I am and what shapes us as individuals. My work is based on both the physical and visual identity of a person, and their concealed identity and character. I often reflect on my relationship with the subject, and the resolution of my work expresses the connection I have with them. Using various forms of imagery, I enjoy revealing attributes of an individuals’ character, which enables the audience to respond to them on a personal level. My work often evolves from the concept of the participant having fun and enhancing elements of their personality. Working in a large range of mediums I like to experiment, test myself and discover new processes in my work.
image :
‘My Family’, mixed media,2012
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statement by
Kate Merrick
I have a fixation with small scale. My work exposes the simplicity of materials that can alter the interpretation of a conventional home, representing my loving and happy childhood. I use light as a fundamental focal point. Light plays an essential role within a home, whereby it provides comfort, safety and warmth, and with such a simplistic innovation I think light alone can characterize the significance of a house. I believe that a home is not just a place it is a state of mind. When removing the physical representation of a home you are left only with the essence of love and belonging that formulates the home itself.
image :
Top, ‘Night light’, polythene, battery, bulb, 2012 Bottom ‘Remains’, photograph, 2012
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statement by
Wilson Logan
I am drawn to sleek, minimal, visual design. Aesthetics are everything. The true essence of art is in its beauty.
My current work explores the relationships between space and sound. I want to blur this line by creating a connection between how we experience light, colour, movement, sound and space. By doing this I hope to create a feeling of euphoria and an understanding between video and sound. Each one of these components matched with the correct music is vital in creating a full sensory experience. My work involves installation and live performance. Throughout my practice, I attempt to create a relationship with the audience. The sound and visuals that they see and experience provoke emotions, intending to create a dialogue between the work and the viewer, enabling them to become immersed in my work. Due to the highly graphic nature of my work, I consider myself to lie between the realms of a digital artist and graphic designer. ‘Good design is as little design as possible’ is the philosophy that I take into consideration when producing my work.
image :
‘Sphere’, video still, 2012
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statement by
Rebecca Lange
The inspiration for my work originates from my curiosity in personal ancestry and history. I am also fascinated with invoking memory and nostalgia between my work and the viewer. I define my practice as craft based. I enjoy creating my projects and installations from a wide variety of choices, experimenting with products in order to create new materials to work with. Inspired by my discovery of a collection of photographs and memorabilia composed over time by generations of my family, my most recent project is based upon Ogden’s closed down Liverpool tobacco factory. It has become a project of discovery and nostalgia due to my personal family connection to the building. Within that there is an interesting debate between the outside persona of the company and the life that existed within the factory walls. Working within the merchandise produced by the Ogden’s, I was able to make a new material to be used in my project. My experiments lead to the development of tobacco ‘ink’ I have used in my illustrations and between fibres of my own handmade paper. The ink infused a strong and definable scent of the tobacco across pieces in my work. I found that the aroma of my products had a more prominent effect on people’s recollections, often causing the viewer to connect with my work in a more personal way as the scent re-calls memories which lay previously dormant.
image :
‘Tobacco Paper’, scanned image, 2012
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statement by
Liz Greenwood
I would describe my work as a method of telling the audience a story and letting them draw their own conclusions. As an artist, I see myself as a voyeur, I like to observe the audience as they look upon my work. This gives me a true value of what they see and think without influencing their views. I emphasise with Frida Kahlo’s statement, “I paint my own reality. The only thing I know is that I paint because I need to, and I paint whatever passes through my head without any other consideration”. Being a photographer is not only communicating through images, but it is a form of escapism for me. I have received many comments about how my images change people’s mood during what may be a difficult day. My favourite place to photograph is in Southern Cemetery in Chorlton. It is extremely peaceful and the scenery changes with every season producing beautiful visuals.
image :
‘Only this and nothing more’, scanned image, 2012
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writing by
Thom Thatcher
It is said that mental health issues affect 1 in 4 people. My work is a representation of my own. The screaming terror that comes from within, that is rarely addressed, noticed or dealt with. Reality, sometimes, is not the most frightening thing. The mind that can imagine and act on fear is far worse.
Depression. Fear. Anxiety. Anger. The degradation of memory The fragility of memory. The unforgiving memory. The representation of the above, in regards to ones own self torture. A chemical imbalance in the mind. The truth in the mirror.
image :
Top: ‘Untitled’, video still, 2012 Bottom ‘Family in red’, screenprinted photograph, 2012
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writing by
Rosa Vaughan
“We are all clowns really, but we’ve spent most of our lives trying to hide the embarrassing reality under layers of intelligence, sensibility, sophistication and social nicety.” – John Wright
Hello, my name is Rosa Vaughan and I am a little bit BoNkErs!
Susie made her performance debut in ‘The Creature Chronicles’ by ‘Zoocase Theatre’; a trio of magical tales involving a saxophoneplaying dragon and a talking owl! I am currently watching over her as she haunts the gallery space. She tells me that she has been looking forward to your arrival. Susie hasn’t had company for such a long time and she’s dying to play with you… With just a week left before we have to move on, who knows what we will do next, perhaps we will run away with the circus!
I like to think of myself as a quiet and intelligent woman with the soul of a clown that always forces me to blow it at the most essential moments! My practice and my way of life is puppetry and live performance; telling creative stories to engage the viewer. I was first attracted to the puppetry as it is an alternative lifestyle. It brings about the possibility of going into another world full of magic and illusion that you do not encounter in every day existence. Susie was born from the depths of my imagination… As I raised her from a pile of newspaper clippings and a pot of glue, I grew more and more absorbed into her being. Until her own little character emerged and she started to come to life! The paper, glue, latex, and cloth became more than just materials to me. It oddly feels as though Susie is real and we have come to be good friends!
image Top: ‘Zoocase theatre summer camp’, 2011 Bottom (left) ‘Making tape puppets’ (right) ‘Suzie’, photographs, 2011–2012
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statement by
Alexandra Grace Cussons
“Nothing happens unless first we dream.” – Carl Sandbur My imagination guides my creativity. Through my practice I explore my thoughts physically and visually. I am intrigued by the endless possibilities of creative thinking and hold a growing fascination with the world around me; this fascination strongly influences my work. Taking inspiration from my own momentary thoughts and experiences, I study the concept of visual time, capturing it through painting, illustration, photography and animation. However, my love affair with the camera never ceases. Using the camera I feel effortlessly inspired to develop my artistic aspirations, varying from wildlife photography to photo manipulation. In my practice I use digital technology to experiment with ideas of the surreal. Starting with captured photographs of nature and wildlife, I introduce my imagination through digital photo-manipulation. I am able to play with the possibilities of creating my own psychosomatic world by adding aspects of my imagination, responding to the world around me. Working with photography and stop motion animation I conjure cartoons and bring objects to life, visually illustrating stories. This enables me to explore the possibilities of the impossible; allowing me to make any idea come alive. I find this the most awe inspiring aspect of my artistic practice; the gift of making dreams comes true.
image :
‘A swans tale’, illustration, 2012
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statement by
Marcin Wozniak
My practice is concerned with an investigation of memory and its influence on our perception of environments. I question the sense of belonging in the nomadic nature of the world in which I exist. Memory becomes a point of reference within understanding and adjusting to new surroundings, to help construct the present and shape identity. I record abstraction within surrounding environments though the medium of video, collage and installation. I use these as tools in presenting my perception of the surrounding world. I believe the interplay of these mediums helps me to understand myself in relation to the environment that I inhabit. I am interested in abstraction of temporary forms constructed within everyday environments. I realise there are artistic opportunities which, through the act of observing, result in unexpected outcomes.
image :
‘Untitled’, digital photograph, 2012
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statement by
Kerry Perkins
I create photographs in response to my inquisitive nature, and the idea that mundane rituals can be subverted into something of interest. I demonstrate this by using the camera as a tool to capture scenes I witness. Focusing primarily on social situations, I photograph moments that would otherwise go unseen. I enjoy portraying individual’s habits, as I feel they reveal aspects of their personality, and enable the audience to connect with them on a personal level. The majority of my subjects are people I am close to, shown within environments familiar to me. My work currently responds to my background and identity, and my perceptions of the people I surround myself with. I have begun to look at the routines of others, focusing primarily on addictions and other habitual characteristics. Smoking is an addiction I constantly refer to, and through my work, I aim to explore the different ways it can be portrayed. I am fascinated by how smoking can be both glamorized and seen as an unattractive act in different contexts.
image :
‘Colourless Depiction of a Colourless Issue’, digital photograph, 2012
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statement by
Sasha Beaumont
My work takes a critical view of society, human behaviour and social issues. I believe our society is on the verge of a social meltdown. As if the world is about to reach a shuddering halt, taken over by technological communication, mass obsessive consumerism and a lack of respect. I believe that if we could somehow bring back some of the traditional values from the past, from a time when I believe society was certainly far more functional, we may find ourselves in a better place. A bygone time in which respect was a given, parenting was taken as a responsibility and day to day life was more grounded and real. A time when we grew our own vegetables, kept hens and ate only locally reared meat. An era when milk came from the next-door farmer, when we supported our local producers and when we ate only ‘real’ food. I am interested in the ‘real’ world, its produce and its beauty. I am also keen to take a more light-hearted approach to art, using humour as a means of communication and engagement. My current work explores the role of food as ‘social glue’. Cooking a meal and eating together is an ever more bonding exercise, significantly keeping strong traditional values alive within the frantic world we now live in, a world that demands faster communications, faster cars and faster food.
image :
‘Happy Meal’ digital photograph courtesy of Ian Ray, 2012
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statement by
Lauren Taylor
The world needs to lighten up… This is a statement that I would take very seriously, if I had any use for seriousness whatsoever. Often employing the visual language used in signage, I create small interventions that uplift, entertain, and confuse the more observant members of the general public. These interventions are realised through the manipulation of everyday objects in public spaces, or by making my own from media that will produce the greatest incongruity. An interactive element is present in all of my work, though this is not always physical. The interactivity can be found in the process that the viewer must undergo to fully embrace the work, or in the response that is elicited by it. The viewer can seek it out, or it will find them when they least expect it. My current project is heavily influenced by social behaviour in public places. Particularly in queues, on public transport and other scenarios that occur on a day-to-day basis where we are expected to be in close proximity with others. I am seeking to create visual aids for conduct based around the unwritten codes that are present in these situations, making life that little bit happier for everyone.
IMAGE Top: ‘Aliens’, Bottom, ‘Knitted’, mixed media, 2012
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writing by
Marcelle Holt
diy graduate broadcast curatorial brand failure resources authorship fear opensource digital institution value participatory ego peer performative education artschool data millennial social dialogue analogue alternatives
image :
‘Wordsearch’ digital image, 2012
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essay by
Jane Brake
This is NOT A MANIFESTO.
Arrive with curiosity; don’t expect it to be provided. Curiosity wants to be unfettered by conventions that inhibit and limit it. In the right environment sustained curiosity generates contextual structures and methods. It discovers its own limits and then transcends them. Curiosity is actually disruptive. It is a trouble-making characteristic. We are disruptive. We are interested in answers, solutions. But we are also interested in working on the questions, because limiting questions produce limiting answers and limiting solutions. True collaboration is shaped by each individual involved. This means that each collaboration is unique. Unique situations force new learning. Learning and banking are incompatible. The role of time is underestimated. Without a radical intervention market led time will corrode learning time. We have to be vigilant to avoid the ultimate colonisation of personal time. There are no short cuts. We like opportunity. But the kind of opportunity we are talking about is personally rewarding and not based on an advantage over others.
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That which is usually deemed to be of value is in crisis. We need to question value and make ourselves at home in crisis. Be suspicious of things proclaiming their own certainty and fixity, because they may well be false, illusory or even dangerous. Learning can usually be anticipated, but not programmed or prescribed. The learner in a prescriptive education system is anxious. Their horizon is low and so are their expectations. If they fly, they remain, nevertheless, tethered to the ground. Prescriptive, top down education is a reductive experience. We want to have expansive, open-ended experiences.
What the course founders were not able to anticipate was the full impact of neoliberalism. In a neoliberal economy learners are consumers in the market place of educational commodities. This freedom of choice is of course an illusion, which is sustained by indebtedness.
We think the disciplinary structures, hierarchies and enclaves that form a contemporary university tend to be stifling. We want our environment to be fluid. We are interested in the friction and the give in the context of the School of Art. We love the Art School. Openness allows us to recognise difference as a generative tool. Tension or even disagreement must be recognised. This is where risk enters. Simulated risk has no role in a radical learning context.
There are some interesting tensions. Creative Futures (the original intended name of Interactive Arts) now sounds bland and ubiquitous, like a careers event. In a contradictory way this testifies to the foresight of the course founders. The original course philosophy, with its emphasis on individuality, flexibility, networks and creativity demonstrates prescience about the market, which is emphatically not the same as employability. This analysis of the market was coupled with a profound commitment to student centred pedagogy and all these principles are still central to Interactive Arts today.
Perceived success leads to assimilation. Many Interactive Arts successes have gone mainstream. An archaeology of success would reveal the extent of our influence. In this sequence of events innovation leads to vulnerability. It might take more than archaeology to break this cycle. Boundaries shift. The former terrain of Interactive Arts is now occupied comfortably by others. Contemporary fine art practices for example go mainstream with networks, with the social, with politics of a sort. The promiscuity of media employed goes without saying.
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Trans-disciplinarity is an attitude of Interactive Arts that needs exploring further. The Interactive Arts project is a fragile thing. In its state of always becoming it is also, always, susceptible to evaporation. What makes the course so strong is our students and the experiences that binds us all together. The students inspire the teachers. We learn from them. There is a certain romance of the manifesto that is incompatible with the pragmatism of the course. The manifesto if it did exist would be temporary, and with each new arrival would be made anew. Perhaps each year the student’s final exhibition is the closest we come to a manifesto. Ultimately any philosophy of learning amounts to nothing without the politics of learning. The politics is all around us, begging a response. This is not a manifesto but hopefully the beginning of a conversation. Disclaimer: these thoughts are all my own. Some of them may be shared by some members of Interactive Arts, but they are my responsibility.
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contacts
Creative Futures
SONNY J. BARKER
KATIE RHODES
PETE KINGSFORD
organic_robotix@hotmail.co.uk organicrobotix.blogspot.co.uk 01254605033 07758573163
Katierhodes1989@googlemail.com www.tweekatie.webs.com www.tweekatie.tumblr.com
interactivepete@googlemail.com www.wix.com/interactivepete/petekingsford
RUNA BEGUM
RHYS FAGAN
runabegum22@hotmail.co.uk
rhys_ fagan@hotmail.com
RYAN HIGGINS
ADRIANNE BROOKES
r.j.higgins1@gmail.com
adriannexaveria@hotmail.co.uk 07972902733
SAMANTHA JAYNE HIPKISS samanthahipkiss@live.co.uk Samanthajaynehipkiss.blogspot. co.uk KIERAN IZQUIERDO KieranIzquierdo@hotmail.co.uk kieranizquierdo.tumblr.com DAVID W. JONES mesosticpampers@gmail.com davidwilliamjones.tumblr.com durexandthetempleofart.tumblr.com PHIL SIMPSON philsimpson1@hotmail.co.uk www.phil-simpson.co.uk JOHN GROCOTT j.grocott@hotmail.com vimeo.com/user11706836 ADI BROOKES adriannexaveria@hotmail.co.uk REBECCA WILD darkmagic_sprite@hotmail.com thebexfactor@googlemail.com scanography.tk shownd.com/scanography EMMA HARDAKER ev_hardaker@hotmail.co.uk emmavictoria.tumblr.com
DANIEL WATSON defectiveobjective@live.co.uk defectiveobjective.blogspot.com 07961975847
HELEN AUSTIN helenaustin22@hotmail.com helenfrancesaustin.blogspot.co.uk
JOEL MOORE
LAURA BURKE
Moorekid81@hotmail.co.uk cutcopypaste81@blogspot.com
Lauraburke.lb@googlemail.com mynameislauraburke.tumblr.com/ 07875137829
MIRIAM BAYNES Miriambaynes@gmail.com www.mbaynes.wordpress.com REBECCA DUFFIN becky.duffin@gmail.com rebeccaduffin.weebly.com
ROUSHAY HOMAYOUN-FEKRI r.homayoun10@yahoo.co.uk bambihomayoun.tumblr.com CHUMAN chuman1029@yahoo.com.hk
HOLLY MCGUIRK
ANNA DAVIES
www.hollymcguirk.com
anna.davies16@btinternet.com 07584038485
BRIDGET SMART brigidsmart@gmail.com JOANNE KEOGH jo_keo22@hotmail.com lovelichen.org @lovelichen
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KAY WOODLEY kay.woodley@googlemail.com www.akayinthelifeof.wordpress.com 07754543414 STEFANO DE LUCHI stefano.deluchi@gmail.com
SAM KELLY
THOM THATCHER
Samanthakelly_DIGITAL@ hotmail.co.uk www.behance.net/samantha_kelly
ark_le_vandal@hotmail.com tiggandtonic@live.co.uk (0161) 449 0843
ENYA KOSTER
ROSA VAUGHAN
enya.koster1@gmail.com www.facebook.com/pages/MushRoom/304817869569714
rosa.vaughan@hotmail.co.uk www.facebook.com/zoocasetheatre
SOPHIE WHITEFORD
ALEXANDRA GRACE CUSSON
s.whiteford.mmu@gmail.com valentinart.moonfruit.com
alex_cussons@hotmail.com alexcussons.tumblr.com 07975675360
ARNOLD POLLOCK
MARCIN WOZNIAK
arnoldpollock@gmail.com
marcin_woznak@yahoo.co.uk www.marcinromanwozniak. wordpress.com
KATIE BARNES katierosebarnes@hotmail.co.uk katierosebarnes.blogspot.com/ HELEN MILNER Helen_677@hotmail.com www.helensmadebyme.webs.com KATE MERRICK katemerrick@aol.com kate-merrick-art.blogspot.com kate-merrick.tumblr.com WILSON LOGAN wilsonlogan13@gmail.com www.vimeo.com/user9887867 REBECCA LANGE Lange.from.dot@gmail.com
KERRY PERKINS mzcheri@hotmail.com kerixx.blogspot.co.uk/ SASHA BEAUMONT sashbeaumont@gmail.com artbysashabeaumont.blogspot.com 07929 330976 LAUREN TAYLOR lauren@artbelow.org.uk www.laurentaylorart.tk MARCELLE HOLT marcelle@diyartschool.com diyartschool.com facebook.com/DiyArtSchool @diyartschool
LIZ GREENWOOD babybphotographydesign.weebly. com
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credits
Creative Futures First published in 2012 by the students of Interactive Arts, Manchester Metropolitan University
On behalf of everyone on the Interactive Arts degree, 2012, we would like to give a special thanks to Jon Biddulph, Jane Brake, Hazel Jones, Will Pollard and Nick Hardy for their continuous support throughout our time on the degree.
© 2012 artists and authors
From everyone in the year, a special thanks to Jane for making our final year so rewarding. We couldn’t have done it without you! We would also like to give a special mention to Paul Tutty, Marion Poulton, Martin Dexter, Johnny Burn, and the technical staff who have supported us in the run up to the degree show and the Tea Room project.
Printed in an edition of 750 with 15 different covers on Revive 100 FSC Recycled stock. Production co-ordination by www.axisgraphicdesign.co.uk
We would like to thank all the customers who contributed both financially and creatively in the Tea Room, generating an amazing experience and without whose generosity this book would not have been possible.
Printed and bound by DeckersSnoeck, Antwerp, Belgium All images supplied by the artists except the following:
Tony Eve and Dave Smith for their commitment to their interview in the last few hours of publishing.
‘Class of 2012, Holden Gallery Cafe’, photograph, 2012. (pp 58 – 59) Tom Bright Photographer tombright.tumblr.com tombrightphotography@gmail.com
And finally, thank you to all the artists, designers, and curators who have helped and inspired us during our time at Interactive Arts, Manchester Metropolitan University. Lancashire Tea, Paul Needham and the team; HMG Paints, John Falder MD, Steve Hutton Colour Technician; Stephanie Boydell Curator at MMU Special Collections; FreeForArts 2011; Peter Baron; Hand to Mouth Theatre; Contact Theatre; BlankSpace; Piccadilly Place; Antwerp Mansion; Nexus Cafe; Art Below; Islington Mill, One69; Mick Barnfather; Micronclub Manchester; Tiamos Cafe; Manchester Mule; The Mancunion; MEN; NOI; Creative Transit; Appleyard Press; MMU Visual Resources; ICTS Print; Daniel Clarke (The Moods/ Death To The Strange; Clinic Manchester; The Font; Thingumajig; Micronclub Manchester; Barnes Bakery; D/R/U/G/S and the many other people we have met along the way. Finally, to Alan Ward of Axis Graphic Design for his patience in helping us make this publication.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any other information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publisher.
‘John Biddulph’, portrait, (5x7 X4 direct positive fibre-based print, photograph, 2012. (p 10) ‘Jane Brake’, portrait, (5x7 X4 direct positive fibre-based print, photograph, 2012. (p 114) Joel Peck Photographer joelpeck.blogspot.com joelpeck@hotmail.com Archive image supplied by Tony Eve and Dave Smith (p 4) Architectural prints supplied by Craig Sambrook at MMU Estates and Managements (pp 8 – 9 and overlay)
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