Unit X // Our 'Spiral of Doom' Group Dynamics + Development

The week following the pitch was quite unproductive and was at a stand still. Melissa was in London and so there was a miscommunication in production. Even though the presentation feedback was reasonably positive, the amount of research and ideas we'd done had overwhelmed us. I was reluctant to make as I didn't know what I was making, and so didn't want it to be irrelevant. Melissa comes from a Graphics Design background, where in-depth research is heavily encouraged, whereas in Textiles, the drawing to making happens rather quick. We needed to find a way to adapt to one anouther and gain an advantage from our skills.

Collaborative Drawings

Our tutorial with Mark and Kate helped greatly and reassured us not to panic. We did just need to condense our ideas down and start making. In terms of Manchester architecture, it was too broad and so were suggested to focus on the Northern Quarter buildings. So that day we did some visual research in the NQ and started to design the making of our piece. This week of 'doom' has in fact become beneficial to our work and helped push the group dynamics. The following week we separately produced valuable work, and then were able to regroup and collaborate with what had been made.

Sketch of our final piece

We've planned to re-purpose an existing wooden board, sticking to our BORDER ideas. It will be re-shaped, with layers of metal, acrylic and wood, coinciding with the layers of history and architecture in the Northern Quarter. I plan to elaborate on the acrylic work I've done in my previous project. I will create 3-dimensional forms from designs of our drawing studies, which will then be adhered to the piece, adorning the 2-dimentional space. Melissa will create the wooden base, adding in collected metals to bring in the underpinning elements of industrialization and juxtapose against the other materials. We left gaps to allow the existing architecture to poke through and add to the overall piece.

Unit X // Group Manifesto

Group Manifesto

This is the final visual of our manifesto- created by Melissa. We've kept it simple and pretty self explanatory. My favourite point is 7, 'Refer to the past, look to the future'. Our research heavily focuses on the history and regeneration of Manchester's architecture and skyline. It is  constantly changing, and will continue to do so into the future. Our input will compose of adding new shapes and materials, and so will re-create the future.

Unit X // Instagram

Personal Instagram feed. composition, colour, shapes inspired through cities.

Unit X // Presentation + Feedback

Group name/Logo

Here is the presentation that I created for the rooftop pitch. We came up with the group name BORDER as we plan to work on the perimeter of the area. It also doubles up with the Manchester skyline and how it creates a border between the land the sky. Melissa was unable to attend the pitch as she was in London, which meant I had to do it alone. I'm not the most comfortable public speaker and so felt a bit of pressure, however is good to practice for the future and is a valuable skill.

'3D Drawing' Potential visualisation

The feedback was mostly positive, with the panel showing interest in the architecture and urbanism concepts. They liked my underlay maquette's and how they would contribute to the surrounding buildings. At this point, I hadn't really explored my materialisation, however I would need to use a more weighted material to withstand the wind, or to find a more sheltered space. Becca had noticed that we'd heavily analysed manifesto's in our wall space and suggested that we should interpret it through our physical work. What is missing in the the Northern quarter space? How do I express a manifesto through my thinking?

It was apparent that Melissa and I were still unsure of what we wanted our final outcomes to be. We (I) had pitched to have separate outcomes, however it would be wiser for us to collaborate our skills to make a piece together. The panel suggested that we edit down our ideas and concepts. It is relevant to narrow down our research and pin point what we want to bring through our finalpiece. As Unit X is about uncertainty, it has brought awareness that I need to push myself forward as creative thinker and designer. I believe taking risks is more than ever important in this project, for example we are collaborating with other designers.

Unit X // Initial Research + Concept

Our initial research has stemmed from the ambiguous nature of our group. The has included the likes of the Situationist International and Agitprop Art. These groups have created propaganda type visuals that portray both politics and art. The work had origins of Avant-Garde traditions. Although valid, these groups were perhaps too political and controversial for us to explore any further.

Wyndham Lewis, 'Workshop' circa 1914

Taking that into consideration, it lead us to the Vorticists, a British Avant-Garde group that formed for a short period of time during 1914. Their work expressed the dynamics of the modern world, with the influences of Urbanism and Cubism. Urbanism is a movement of populations or concentration of people and buildings in a specific area. During the Industrial Revolution, Manchester experienced a rapid increase of Urbanism, with the great build of the architecture within the city. To this day, it has now become an urban landscape, which continues to regenerate and build upon it's remaining architecture. These styles of work consist of sharp, angular edges and block shapes. This was something I wanted to push through my collage/drawings. Melissa has made more in depth research into these subject areas, something she is very interested in, whereas I have made more of a visual approach to the research.

Pumping Station

 We undertook a visit to The people's History Museum to research more into the Industrial Revolution. I found the gallery in itself uninspiring, however the museum building was an old pumping station, which had great interest and history to it. I find myself more as a visual thinker and respond well to a specific environment or space. The building had great potential and funded some of my visuals, where I considered colour, materials and texture. The collage below used the 'Grafters' newspaper, and so still combined the Industrial Revolution within.

Collage

Unit X // Materiality Workshop

Samples

The workshop was a spread of potential materials and samples to help inspire. It consisted of materials such as outdoor fabrics, heavy duty bubble wrap, rivets and underlay. Alongside were samples of previous students work with the use of combined materials and processes. I used Richard Serra's verb list to help transform the materials, making small scale experimentation's to see what boundaries I could push. It was a little overwhelming with the mass of materials in front of me, however the relaxed environment let off pressure to create valuable work- it was more about the testing of materials and sparking new ideas.

drawn, cut, and bent underlay

Combined drawing and underlay

 I took interest in the floor underlay as it was easy to cut and contort. In the above image I combined it with a previous drawing, transforming the lines from 2D to 3D. It has produced thoughts about continuing with elements from my previous 'Warp' project, in terms of drawings and processes.

Unit X // Easter Drawing

Some observational drawing that I did when I was back in London for Easter. Keeping to my creative style of bold shapes and use of bright colours. London has similar styles of buildings and 'that' city vibe, giving me inspiration to draw from an urban landscape.