The
CITY in
Flux!
Research Book
Alexander Nicholson
Responce to the Brief. The brief, “City in flux�. The changing ever adapting city constantly evolves to meet the need of its inhabitants. The destruction and reconstruction of crucial areas allow the city to expand and flourish. I am to research into all artistic aspects of the changing city and explore how the city has influenced major artists. I will also explore historical influences such as wars and the industrial revolution which changed cities in a way never seen before. Visual language is all around us, especially in the city centre, the use of it is crucial to maintaining a thriving economy, after all who wants to go to a boring, dull city? The visual languages draw people in with attractive branding, signage and other aspects. I will begin by briefly exploring the history of major cities within Yorkshire. I have decided to choose Yorkshire’s cities such as, Leeds, York and Sheffield as they are easily accessible allowing me to get primary research through the use of photography. The research and information I present will be logical and will be influential later within the brief as I differentiate between strong and weak design.
Contents 2-3: Cover and Contens
4-13: History and culture
14-29: Artist research
30-41: Ideas
History There is no doubt that although the cities of the UK, in particular Yorkshire have been through some dramatic changes, none were as powerful as the Industrial Revolution. The Industrial Revolution practically formed the cities, before it the country was made up of small towns and villages, working independently to make a living. Although with the introduction of steam, mills were soon built which created hundreds of jobs attracting thousands to the ‘New’ cities. In order for people to work in the mills they needed somewhere to live which again created expansion as the mill owners built terraced houses within the vicinity of the mill although they were often cramped and dirty. Canals and Railways were also built to transport goods and commuters from city to city although this was a dangerous trip as steam trains were unreliable at the time. As well as the working class being attracted to the city the new middle class mill owners spent there new found fortunes building lavish homes for themselves, creating distinct areas within the town from the ghetto’s to the richer more prosperous areas where the middle class established themselves. Tis divided can still clearly be seen today. With the new capabilities of mass production this gave birth to the high streets, chops could now have full window display’s and reserve stock. Cities such as paris were almost rebuilt around this ideas as its streets were widened and new shops were quickly built.
Througout the industreal revoloution cities were dirty and dominated by mills and other factories. This caused a thick smog to hang over cities. as Claude Monet
The new swelling cities were connected via new forms of transport. Firstly the canals and later, around the time of 1804 the first railways emeged.
Throughout the industreal revoloution the worlds population grew from 679 million to a jaw dropping 1.633 billion. A trend the the population is following today as the population reashes almost 7.2 billion
War
Events such as the two world ward massivly effected the shape of the city, especially in capitals throughout europ. World war two was more influential on city life as aircraft were now been used as bommers, often hundereds would fly over carpet bombing specif areas such as factories airfields and army barraks. London was heavily impacted meaning almost all chilteren were evacuated to the country side. Gardens were turned into bomb shelters and the streets were littered with shrapnel and debree, creating dangerous envroments as those buildings that were still standing were likley to collaps at any given point. Berlin was practucally flatened along with other german cities as the allies pushed the german fources back to there home land. The village Oradour-sur-Glane in france has been left untouched since 1944 as a memorial to frence civilians were massacerd by german SS soldiers. Structures and vehicles have been lef to serve as a reminder of the damage done to French cities.
Culture The culture within different cities across the UK are a result of immigrants traveling for work opportunities, education and a more prospect-full life. But what does this mean for the cities? In most cites there is a distinct influence of the people that are living there, for instance many have a ‘China town’, which is like a home from home, serving traditional food, clothing and other items, religious buildings are also usually in the same area. Not only does this give people the chance to still buy food and materials they love but offers other people with different cultured backgrounds a chance to sample another way of life. In some areas there places are so large and influential they are even given street names relating to the culture. The economy is boosted as more goods are been traded, the new areas also generate jobs and opportunities previously unheard of. Manchester been one of the larges cities in the north of England has swelled with culture, now having ‘China town’, ‘Curry mile’, and various small Polish districts. Overall the cultures within the cities are one of the most influential of the flux, as architecture is constantly been improved and adapted to meet the needs of the modern citizen. Unfortunately despite all the good that a multicultural city bring some look on it a s a negative effect, suggesting that it is ‘Spoiling the english way of life’ as more and more ‘classic’ buildings are being nocked down or converted for other more modern uses. This leads to protests from both sides which can result in violence, despite this most of the general public have no problem, encouraging multi cultures to live in the UK.
Economic Barometer’s. The culture within different cities across the UK are a result of immigrants traveling for work opportunities, education and a more prospect-full life. But what does this mean for the cities? In most cites there is a distinct influence of the people that are living there, for instance many have a ‘China town’, which is like a home from home, serving traditional food, clothing and other items, religious buildings are also usually in the same area. Not only does this give people the chance to still buy food and materials they love but offers other people with different cultured backgrounds a chance to sample another way of life. In some areas there places are so large and influential they are even given street names relating to the culture. The economy is boosted as more goods are been traded, the new areas also generate jobs and opportunities previously unheard of. Manchester been one of the larges cities in the north of England has swelled with culture, now having ‘China town’, ‘Curry mile’, and various small Polish districts. Overall the cultures within the cities are one of the most influential of the flux, as architecture is constantly been improved and adapted to meet the needs of the modern citizen. Unfortunately despite all the good that a multicultural city bring some look on it a s a negative effect, suggesting that it is ‘Spoiling the english way of life’ as more and more ‘classic’ buildings are being nocked down or converted for other more modern uses. This leads to protests from both sides which can result in violence, despite this most of the general public have no problem, encouraging multi cultures to live in the UK.
Strong and Weak Economies All cities across the UK have gone through times of economic growth and slumps, for example London business is booming, the economy is on the up and the city is expanding, coming up with new ideas and systems whilst other cities have gone the opposite way, as previously mentioned Bradford is currently in a economic slump and is viewed as an undesirable city in Yorkshire. Buildings are left derelict creating a dirty and sometimes dangerous area. Bradford was one of the most desirable places to live in England, With its large homes and surrounded by countryside it proved popular although it seems that time has been and gone. Despite this the city is beginning to boos its economy with new developments happening in the city centre.
Pollution Pollution is the main problem of the 21st century as power stations pour out carbon dioxide at an alarming rate. As nuclear and wind power are still in there infancy the word primarily rely on burning oil and coal. Throughout the industrial revolution cities were covered with a thick smog, creating poor health and visibility conditions. This is now happening in China as it produces the most greenhouse gasses, citizens usually prefer to wear protective breathing equipment in everyday life. Climate change is the worlds main problem, as the world continues to exploit the oil and gas supplies expelling carbon dioxide into the atmosphere the climate is warming, causing catastrophic issues across the world such as the ice caps melting, seal levels rising and multiple animal species becoming endangered. Pollution within the city itself has changed around the world from the beginning of the industrial revolution, making cities dirty polluted areas although this has changed, in England at least. In the modern city most pollution comes from busy roads as factories are situated away from the city centres on industrial estates. Due to the sheer size of the population within the city litter is a a huge problem, cigarette and chewing gum. Although many counties have enforced fines for littering although the problem still persists. Noise and light pollution are also a problem with the city centres as, music is played through the night as well as noisy cars an lorries passing through twenty four seven. Overall cities are the most polluted parts of the planet although things are beginning to change, more eco friendly power supplies are being introduced, buildings are being made in more eco friendly ways as well as attempting to incorporate parts of the countryside such as grass roofing and more greenery into the city. Although things are beginning to head in the right way it will be a long time before cities around the world will be pollution free.
New and Old Cities
It’s strange to think that cities can just pop up out of practically nowhere as for most of us they have been a constant in our lives containing both new and old architecture. This again varies in different countries, developing cities such as the United Arab Emirates have thrived in recent years due to its location being rich in oil and other natural resources. Back in England it is practically unheard of to ‘make a new city’. We do constantly build and expand although listed building have stood the test of time creating distinct recognisable landmarks for generations.
Dubai
Dubai’s growth is down to two key reasons, firstly the country is rich in natural resources meaning it sells vast amounts to off shore locations, earning billions. The second economy booster is its tourist industry, attracting millions from around the world. The cause of this boost in tourism is down to the sheer luxury, such as staying in the worlds only six star hotel the Burj Al Arab Jumeirah or to visit the tallest building in the world or simply to see the super car police vehicles, at the moment it seems like Dubai has it all, constantly expanding at an alarming rate. Despite this huge surge in 1990 Dubai was nothing more than a small town in a dusty barren landscape, everything has been created from new, helping the stereotype of a new, rich, clean city. Dubai is possibly the city in the most flux, so much so entire islands (Palm islands and the World) have been created of it shoreline, creating hundreds of new homes and a land mark that has never been possible until now.
York
At the other end of the scale we have the city of York situated in central England. the city has become a popular tourist attraction due to its quirky charm. Time has practically stood still, buildings date back to the medieval time, creating tight ally ways and streets. Due to the way York was built (Without modern building equipment and materials) every building is unique, bending and twisting in various directions forging a narrow wonky street. Due to York retaining it medieval roots the city is packed with buildings often with opposite sides of the street being within reaching distance of each other (It is thought that if it wasn’t for the great fire of London a lot of modern London would have similar districts). Religion was key to the lives of many hence the huge gothic cathedral that is central to the city, towering over all other buildings. York is one of the few cities that has hardly changed since the fifteen hundreds, of course new buildings have been erected to cater for modern needs but they are somewhat demolished by the majesty of the cathedral. Much of the original city wall still encircles the historic part of the city, entering under a great tower is the main way into the centre. Overall although York has gone through flux it remains similar to how people of previous generations would remember it, keeping the charm and quirkiness is key to its success as tourists flock from around the world.
Artist Research To continue my research I decided to look into different artists who use the city as inspration. I tried to gather a a range of artists’ who use different media. Later I plan to create some experimental pieces baised on their work.
Claude Monet Claude Monet was a French impressionist artist of the mid nineteenth century and was revolutionary at his time. After school he had a brief spell in the French army although he later dropped out in order to attend an art school. Despite this he found the style of painting and teaching outdated, leaving shortly after enrolling. His work consists of many subjects although there is and apparent change as his work becomes more industrialised, with the encroach of machinery from the industrial revolution such as the railways and architecture such as mills and bridges. Despite this his most famous work is “The Water Lilly pond� which is a floral piece. He was also one of the fist impressionist as his work was created using large brush strokes which give the impression that his work is unfinished. Not only was he revolutionary in the way he painted but how he painted the same subjects at multiple points of the year, for example winter and summer. At first the images can be mistaken for been the same although at a loser look the tones, highlights and shadows are completely different.
Tang You Hoong Tang Yau Hoong is a artist, illustrator, graphic designer working freelance in Malaysia. His work consists of surreal simplistic illustrations who uses negative space in interesting ways. This can create strange illusions that can confuse the viewer. He has created advertising for various large companies such as Land Rover, NIKE, Vodafone and Urban Outfitters. His work Links in the the brief ‘City in Flux’ as most of his pieces are based around the city, often challenging concepts such as merging the city and nature as well as incorporating other other economic and political issues at the time. He typically works on editing software such as adobe illustrator or photoshop although he has used printing techniques with both ink and paint. Although his pieces are made of block colours they are textured, giving the effect they have been printed using foam board.
David Bradford David Bradford is an American photographer from New York, despite becoming well known for his street photography his main profession is driving NY city cabs. This explains the title of the work ‘Drive By Shootings’ as he take his photographs whilst driving, capturing everyday life amongst the cities inhabitants as well as capturing unique architecture and other structures. His work is all shot in monochrome as he uses a film camera which gives his images a ‘grainy’ effect, emphasised as the photographs are usually taken through the taxi windscreen. His work was produced using a film cameras as digital was not available at the time. He also experiments with unique camera angles often using the wing mirror to capture objects he is passing, other parts of the taxi such as the rear view mirror and steering wheel are often captured adding dynamic lines and alternate focal points. His images are relevant to the brief of ‘city in flux’ as they show not only different areas changing but the inhabitants changing, showing the different cultures that inhabit large cities.
Imtiaz Dharker Imtiaz Dharker is a Scottish/Indian poet artist and flim maker who has used various places within the city as inspration. One of her most famous pieces is titled ‘Living space’. She generally describes a small shabby structue that somebody is living in, presumably somewhere in the slums of india. She goes into great deail, describing how the different materials are joined together, how there are no straight lines, basically focousing on the fact that people would think it would be impossible to live in a place as samll and cramped as this. She uses heavily descriptive language and elevated lexis to convay her points, lexis such as parallel, miraculous and fragile help build a stronger sence of imagery in the readers mind. As well as bing a talented poet and writer she usually produces artwork to accompany her writing, often sketching out the object or place that has given her inspration. She typically works in black and white, using pencil as her preferred media. Writing and poetry can be link to the brief ‘City in flux’ as text can be used in conjunction with visual language. It can be used to convay underlying messages, explaining a different aspects of city life that viewers may not have considered.
There are just not enough straight lines. That is the problem. Nothing is flat or parallel. Beams balance crookedly on supports thrust off the vertical. Nails clutch at open seams. The whole structure leans dangerously towards the miraculous. Into this rough frame, someone has squeezed a living space And even dared to place these eggs in a wire basket, fragile curves of white hung out over the dark edge of a slanted universe, gathering the light into themselves, as if they were the bright, thin walls of faith.
Andy Council Andy Council is a British illustrator who uses the city as inspiration in a unique way. He looks into the architecture, picking out important landmarks that are recognisable. He then illustrates different creatures such as dinosaurs, bats, birds and aliens made up out of different parts of the city, not only with buildings but with roads, rivers and railways too. His work is eye-catching, appealing to me due to his use of colours which are bright and colourful. The colours are also very flat with little or no gradient ranging across his work. Each different part of the image is contained with a black border making it look more like a cartoon. As for detail enough is added so that buildings and landmarks are recognisable although does not go into intricate detail, this gives the piece a hand drawn feel as black outlines are wonky and rough. Never the less the finished pieces look professional and have been sold all over the world. The narrative behind his work suggests that perhaps nature is reclaiming parts of the city all the time, as the animals pictured in his work are often destroying parts of the city. Nature can me seen everywhere in the city, creeping in through small cracks and crevices. This style of work could apply to my second idea of how the city will change in the future, perhaps been totally reclaimed by nature. Linking well with the “City in Flux’ project as I could explore his techniques and interpret the artists ideas.
Kurt Schwitters Kurt Schwitters was a German artist who lived through the twentieth century. He worked in almost every kind of media, from graphic design to poetry, being especially influential when experimenting with surrealist and constructivist ideas. Despite this he is known mainly for his collage work. Schwitters’ collages are made up from many different elements such as, photos, letters, newspaper shredding and tickets. In a way many of the objects he used to create his colleges could be described as litter. they are typically made up of a tan coloured newspaper as a background with other elements added on top, brought together with a phrase or term that had been cut from a letter, paper etc. This gave the artwork meaning as he would then add other forms of media that relate to the quote. Schwitters’ work is influential to the city in flux brief as it can be linked basically back to the streets themselves. In order to recreate this style of work old tickets, flyers and other media could be taken straight off the ground, giving them a ‘used’, ‘distressed” feel which Schwitters work possesses. His work stood out to me as it possesses a timeless feel, which is unique as so many pieces of artwork are created using cutting edge technology. I will experiment with this style of work to build up a collection of media.
Yoni Yoni is an English Illustrator who uses block faded colours to build up outlines of landmarks for famous cities from around the world, he then layers them onto a cream pale background which again create more colours as the outlines over lap. Although the buildings are overlapped they are instantly recognisable, usually titled with the name of the city. His work is bright and eye catching, relating to the city in flux project as he seems to simplify the city, making it clear and easy to understand.
Elanor Romanova
Elena Romanova is a European based artist who specialises in using watercolours. As well as creating stunning portrait and landscape paintings she has also commissions a series of work where the city is the subject. especially the city skyline. She uses various bright colours to create block outlines of recognisable structures around the world. Another unusual aspect of her work is that she allows the paint to run down the page, giving her work a hidden narrative perhaps suggesting that once you look past the city itself, things on ground level are more ‘messy’ than anticipated. This style of work relates well to the city in flux project as it will allow me to experiment with different media as well as exploring different colour palates.
Romain Trystram Romain Trystram is a french illustrator and graphic designer based in France, he works on many different projects and in different fields such as animation and magazine design although continues to explore his talent for creating high quality illustrations. Trystram likely uses Adobe illustrator to create his work as they appear to be vector based and are highly detailed. His colour palate is limited as he uses a solid colour background (typically black) which makes his work stand off the page. The colours used within the more detailed aspects of his work are bright and even neon, sticking to reds, blues, greens and oranges although the this varies from piece to piece. His work links to the brief ‘City in Flux’ as many of his pieces are linked to city life, often capturing architecture and other objects that are common in the city. Due to the use of bright neon colours the structures look futuristic and unique.
Brian Sparks Brian Sparks is an Irish photographer who is currently living and working in Sweeden. He works across many different fields although specialises in street photography as he uses reflections in windows and water to give his images a mirrored affect. His work links in with the city in flux theme as he sees the the street differently to others, exploring new and unseen angles of city life. The reflected image could also reprisent the emotions of the person within the photograph. Perhaps showing how they really feel about city life.
First Idea After looking closely at the work of Tang yau Hoong I decided that I could best my first idea around the theme of negative space art and illusion. By using similar techniques I could create the effect that the city isn’t how it’s always portrayed, highlighting issues such as pollution, dilapidation and crime. I then decided to look at more artists who use negative space and illusion, finding work from Guillaume Morellec, Avinash Jai Singh, work from Blackthorn Design and Adri Bodor. These pieces have been used in various places and have been contracted foe huge companies. If I was to develop this idea I would aim to combine elements from all these artists, using similar techniques regarding the colour scheme and layout. This Style of work is relevant to the brief “City in Flux” as changes in city elements such as the architecture can be shown clearly in a crisp modern way. Below I have shown some work from the artists I researched into. This collection of images are compleatly made up from the use of negative space, using only the strong contrast between black and white. Despite this the images are instantly recognisable, as they capturse a specific detail or pose from the superhero. A simple tagline underneath the design helps comfirm the viewers assumption. Overall the images look crisp and clean, convaying a clear message.
Guillaume Morellec Gueillaume Morellec is a contempory illustrator/designer, his work is manly computer based although he does work with printing techniques. I have chosen these three pieces as they have a strong sence of illusion, using the art of negative space to create underlying narratives such as within the ‘Little Red Riding Hood’ piece (Comissioned for the “Fairy Tales a print show”) as well as making the viewer look twice, thinking harder into what the image. The narrative Within the “Batman” could suggest that the Joker is inside Batmans head, constantly worrying him. Again this style of work could link well with the city in flux brief as strong narratives can be created, suggesting multiple outcomes.
Avinash Jai Singh. Avinash Jai Singh is a graphic designer/ illustrator who specializes in using negative space to add new narratives and meanings to the to the piece. The pieces that are particularly relevant and can be applied to the theme of illusion which is his work for MTV. These pieces were produced for a voting campaign and emphisesed different elements of both sides. He uses bright bold colours and to create a strong contrast. This style could again be implimented, showing both good and bad sides of the city.
Second Idea My second idea is in some way show how the city will change in the future, I began researching this idea by looking at artists who have explored a similar theme, I came across the artists Adam Quest, Gavin Campbell, Yuri Shwedoff and Diarmuid O Cathain. These artists all work in different media, to different extents, creating unique and unusual outcomes that show alternate outcomes of life in the future.
Adam Quest
Adam Quest is a Graphic designer/ Illustrator who works on applications such as the Adobe suite, he uses flat 2D shapes to build up a timeline of how the city has changed into the future. The colour scheme also emphasises this as it moves from dull greys and browns through to futuristic neon blues.
Diarmuid O Cathain. Diarmuid O Cathain is a contemporary illustrator who works in Adobe Illustrator to create his outcomes, it is made up of bold flat shapes to create a interpretation of how city life in the future will look. This style of work could be easier to replicate than other artists I have researched, as the techniques used are simpler. The bright colours make the piece eye catching and it appeals to all audiences. This Type of work also relates to the city in flux brief as these particular pieces of work a based around the city changing in the future. These particular images were produced for Vodafone
Yuri Shwedoff Yur Shwedoff is a designer who works in various different applications applications to create incredibly detailed landscape images usually based on a photograph such as the space shuttle. He then ‘destroys’ the images, adding a post apocalyptic look to to the images. These images offer a different perspective on life in the future. Although this type of images would be hard to recreate I could implement this style into any outcomes I create.
Third Idea My third idea is based around the idea of decay in the city, with different areas suffering from neglect, in a way being reclaimed by nature. This idea is based around many different materials succumbing to the elements, these include materials that are commonly used through out the city such as wood, plastic, metal and brick. Below I have looked into artists that make this idea there subject. James Lester is a former student from Leeds, now working as a photographer. Back in 2007 he shot a series of images called “Discover Hidden Leeds� where he gained access into old abandoned buildings such as asylums and hospitals. Once inside he took a series of images, portraying the forgotten side of the city. This style of work relates to the brief as it shows the city but in a different light to how it is normally portrayed.
Annica Lydenberg. Lydenberg is an american typographer who works in various ways with different media although usually sticks to using paint and ink. What is unusual about Lydenbers’ work is that she uses various different surfaces and type to create an old destroyed look, in turn creating a unique outcome. Below I have shown the various stages of her work. She begins by creating pieces of typography with different phrases although using a various colour palate. She then sketches an outline onto a large canvas/ wall of the type, painting parts of each. She then uses a block colour to ‘destroy’ the artwork, giving it a ‘aged’ feel. her work links in well with my city in flux brief as this style of work can be found all over the city, especially in old shops and pubs. her work could also be contrasted with modern sign’s, showing how typography in the city has evolved.
The
CITY in
Flux!
BA Hons Graphic Design (Year One)
The University of Huddersfield
All work in this book belongs to credtited artists