Part 5:2- Handmade Products

Notes on Justin McGuirk’s article ‘The art of craft: the rise of the designer-maker’:

Do you believe there is a demand for hand-made objects and work? Why do you think that consumer seek out these qualities in the objects they buy?

I believe many people are demanding more hand-made products but not so much so that it will change peoples views or the way things are made. Consumers seek these qualities in objects to reveal the story behind it, “re-asserting the value of handmade over machine-made”. I would say that handmade products are becoming more and more popular nowadays than before because everyone is always looking for something different.

Do you think the desire for hand-made products is based on a romantic perception of the hand-made and a sense of ‘post-industrial nostalgia for the pre-industrial’? Why or why not?

I think there are a group of people who demand handmade products from a romantic perception because making something by hand for someone else is quite a romantic gesture. “We romanticise the handmade because we yearn for quality, not quantity”. More people prefer one good quality products over ten naff products.

Do you feel that hand-made products are viewed as luxury or value-added products ? How do hand-made items compare with mass-produced items, in terms of their value, life cycle, cost and ethics?

These handmade products are viewed as a luxury because the item/object is one of a kind. For example, if someone had carved a table from scratch and it was a treasured inherited item the life-cycle would be extended because it is crafted to last for a long time. Whereas if you had a mass-produced item like a table then these items are produced for profit whether it lasts long or not. Essentially the handmade is priceless because the time and energy gone into crafting it but more importantly the meaning behind the item.

Reflect on any hand-made item you own . Can you remember why you were drawn to it? Did the fact that it was hand-made make it feel special or did you buy it just because you liked the design? How did the price compare?

The handmade items I have chosen to focus on is this glass paper weight that I bought from Langham Glass when i was younger, a place that my grandma took me too. It’s a little workshop where a few people make things from glass such as paperweights, vases, glass sculptures. Theres an area where you can sit and watch them make these products and even request one to be made for you. I picked this particular one because its really pretty and it will always remind me of my Grandma. Being handmade will always make it special because no two can be the same.

I own a lot of handmade items because my family is very creative. I created a piece of embroidery and I really liked the way it looks when it was finished. It feels like an accomplishment when completing the last few stitches. When I was younger, my mum made me a hat and scarf from crochet and I’ve been wearing it ever since! I was especially drawn to it mainly because it was a gift from my mum but also seeing her taking time to create it for me meant even more. Its a very special item to me because its handmade by my mother but also theres only one of these in the world and I have it.

Part 5:2 – Slow Design

The term ‘CRAFT’ means using a skill to construct a piece of art, often made by hand.

To a designer, ‘craft’ is about workmanship of risk and – most recently – the slow design movement
Frayling, 2011. pg.11

Slow Design is a new concept within sustainable design which promotes slowing the metabolism of people and resources while also creating positive behaviour changes. It originates from Slow Food movement in Italy. The Slow principles don’t shun everything fast, but allow for a ‘healthy speed’.

Slow Design Principles

REVEAL – Slow design reveals experiences in everyday life that are often missed or forgotten, including the materials and processes that can be easily overlooked in an artefact’s existence or creation.
EXPAND – Slow design considers the real and potential “expressions” of artefacts and environments beyond their perceived functionalities, physical attributes and lifespans.
REFLECT – Slow Design artefacts/environments/experiences induce contemplation and what slowLab has coined ‘reflective consumption.’
ENGAGE – Slow Design processes are open-source and collaborative, relying on sharing, cooperation and transparency of information so that designs may continue to evolve into the future.
PARTICIPATE – Slow Design encourages users to become active participants in the design process, embracing ideas of conviviality and exchange to foster social accountability and enhance communities.
EVOLVE – Slow Design recognises that richer experiences can emerge from the dynamic
maturation of artefacts, environments and systems over time. Looking beyond the needs
and circumstances of the present day, slow designs are (behavioural) change agents.

If artists and designers can portray their products in a correct manner then it could have a positive impact on the consumption of goods/products and potentially consumer attitudes. However, in a world where fast-production and mass profits are top priority, it could be hard to change peoples behaviour. A lot of people buy things without thinking about the knock on effect it could have.

I believe if these principles have been used when creating a product, it places more value on it. More thought has gone into the making of the product and it has not just been made purely for profit. Personally, I would be more drawn to the hand-crafted products because it has more meaning and a story behind it. But I am also a firm believer that you should support your fellow artists and designers.

Click to access Slow_Design_Principles.pdf

Raaf.org

Click to access Slow_Design.pdf

TED Research

Part 5:1 – Sustainable Products

I have chosen to look at bamboo toothbrushes. Bamboo is the worlds fastest naturally renewing resource. There are many different companies that sell bamboo toothbrushes, however, I have come across a company on my Instagram that intrigues me. www.ecobrushearth.com make not only bamboo toothbrushes but many other products for your daily needs. They use Mao bamboo so it’s panda cruelty free and the raw materials are harvested in China. It contains naturally-occurring antimicrobial agents so there is no need for fertilisers or pesticides during its cultivation. The handle of the toothbrush is 100% biodegradable but the bristles are not, they can be pulled out by pliers. The duration of a bamboo toothbrush is recommended 2 to 3 months by oral health professionals. However long it takes to biodegrade depends on the environment’s conditions such as warm, cold, wet, dry. It usually takes 5 to 10 years to fully break down but if buried horizontally it would only take 3 years. When composting at home, it can be much quicker as you can break the toothbrush into small pieces. No new materials are needed to recycle making this very sustainable. This product works well in its intended context because it does the job its meant to and it can be recycled or biodegrade.

Part 5:1 – Textiles

Knitting and weaving is still the most efficient and successful means of creating sufficient quantities of constructed textiles. Printing textiles allows us to apply further aesthetics to alter the qualities of the constructed textiles.

Stages of textile product life cycle

Agriculture/ Raw fibre production – the cultivation and harvest of the crop
Ginning – to clear the cotton of seeds
Spinning – the process of converting short lengths of fibre into thread
Weaving – to interlace threads and form a fabric
Processing – to treat or prepare by a series of actions
Stitching – the act of a person that stitches onto fabric
Distribution/ Retail – the delivery of an item/ the sale of goods
Use/ Consumption and End of Life – the using up of the goods

Exercise 1 – Sustainability

Sustainability is hard to define. I would say to have something sustainable, it should be durable to allow the lifespan to be lengthened. To support rather than harm. I think sustainability is about how you use the subject in a way to protect and prolong the life.

The Dictionary definition says:

the ability to be maintained at a certain rate or level. “the sustainability of economic growth”

avoidance of the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance. “the pursuit of global environmental sustainability”

In what contexts is sustainability an issue?

In textiles, I believe sustainability is important for the protection of the environment. Certain materials are used to address how the processes used to make clothing impact the world around us. These ‘eco-textiles’ can be blend of natural plant-based fibres such as organic cotton, hemp or bamboo.

Environmentally speaking, some things aren’t sustainable. For example, the top issues that are affecting the world is plastic pollution from plastic waste reaching the ocean, water shortages caused by climate change and air pollution from vehicles and factories. However, it isn’t all that bad because there are many factors that contribute to the environment that are sustainable such as wind turbines, solar panels, reducing household energy etc.

Industry speaking, I would say there are many issues in the industry when it comes to sustainability. A lot of things can go to waste in the industry and most of it isn’t recycled. Also the rate in which items and objects are produced questions how these things are sustainable.

Sustainability is a major issue within the waste industry because landfills are forever increasing and it pollutes the earth. People are doing more to recycle where they can to help stop the damaging affects that landfills have on the earth.

When researching these, I soon realised that sustainability comes down to one thing at the end of the day, and that’s the earth. Everything we need it right here on earth such he natural fibres to make up clothing.

How do you think sustainability might be addressed in relation to the production and consumption of textiles and other manufactured products?

Every step in the textiles chain focuses on different aspects of sustainability.

production factors, including water and energy consumption
availability of sustainable raw materials
effects of waste production
use of chemicals including dyes and coatings
health risks for textile workers and consumers
animal welfare (procurement of wool)

The materials used for textiles not only determine the structure of the value chain and supply chain but also possible recycling. However, the more materials and chemicals that are used, the more difficult it is to be recycled.

Climatex is an innovative technology company for sustainable and recyclable textiles. They pay attention to recycling, environment, health and energy in the design of its products. Products such as upholstery fabrics return to the cycle of production, consumption and renewal after their useful life.

Thread is a textile company that produces recycled polyester from plastic bottles.

Information from lead-innovation.com.

Textiles leaves the largest water footprint on the planet. Large textile producers and users such as Adidas and H&M are investing in technology to use less water and reduce the pollutants released. Instead of water, Adidas’ supplier uses compressed and pressurised carbon dioxide as the agent to disperse dye within polyester fabric. “Adidas claims using CO2 is a safe and environmentally-friendly option because the gas is contained and can be used repeatedly without the risk of any emissions.” (Kaye, 2013)

Kaye, L. (Aug 12, 2013) Clothing to dye for: the textile sector must confront water risks. At: The Guardian [online] https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/dyeing-textile-sector-water-risks-adidas

Part 4:3 – Telephoto Images

For this exercise, I was instructed to take two images of the same subject, one from afar using the telephoto lens on my camera, the other from close using the widest setting on the normal lens. Unfortunately, I don’t have access to a telephoto lens so I could try out this exercise myself which was a bit frustrating but it is what it is. So instead I will make some notes on the differences between the images below in terms of point of view and the information the viewer can get from each image.

The first image a photo taken with the normal lens and at an elevated viewpoint, it looks like the photographer was stood at the top of a hill. At first, the eyes are drawn to the metal gate in the foreground and the scattered litter on the floor. Then the you focus on the background where there is a city full of houses and buildings. It looks like the sun is shining and theres blue skies with clouds. The image below is a photograph taken from the same elevated viewpoint but using the telephoto lens. The human eye is naturally drawn to the larger buildings, then the houses and then the greenery in the background. The difference between the two photographs are that the normal lens allows the human eye to focus on many points because of the wide angle whereas the zoomed image doesn’t have as many focus points so there is less context. Telephoto lens is good for landscape photography.

Assignment 4: Reflective Commentary

Overall, Part 4 was super fun for me and allowed me to connect with my passion for this medium. I have always loved photography because I love to capture every beautiful thing I see. When I was younger, I used to say “I wish you could take photos with your eyes” because nothing could compare to the amount of detail the human eye can see, like looking at the moon for example. My nana bought me a DSLR camera for my 16th birthday and I’ve used it ever since. I even used it for my projects in A-level Media to take photos for magazines and posters. This allowed me to gain knowledge of the different kinds of shots and why they are effective, which came in handy for this part of the course.

My favorite part of this course was exploring the deeper meanings of photographs, discovering when photographs and cameras came around and what they looked like. I particularly liked the works of Abelardo Morell, whos uses modern-day camera obscura. He produces amazing photographs of which you can see the inside view and the outside view from a house or building. I also liked the works of Aleksandra Mir, who produced a piece called “First Woman on the Moon”. It was interesting to see the time and effort gone into creating this magnificent photograph, the final piece does look very similar to the moon.

I was especially inspired by movement photography. It is so fascinating to see things in motion and the aftermath effect which the human eye cannot see. For example, Harold Edgerton’s ‘Bullet and Apple’ is very interesting to look at because you can see the bullet going through the apple and out the other side. The human eye would not be able to see this because the bullet moves too quickly.

The assignment was very exciting for me and I enjoyed doing it because I believe David Hockney is a very good artist and photographer in my eyes. We covered him in A-level Art when I was Sixth form but that was more towards his paintings, whereas this assignment allowed me to look at his photographic pieces. I love his photo collages with the polaroids and I will probably give it a go myself in the future.

I didn’t struggle with any parts of the exercises because I am familiar with the use of photography so I was able to put my knowledge to good use. I will continue to take photographs on my iPhone, my DSLR, and my polaroid because one day, those certain things won’t be around and all that will be left are the photographs. Which is why I believe photographs are the most treasured thing in the household.

Assignment 4

Photography has been questioned within the art world since the invention of camera obscura, also known as a pinhole image. There have been arguments whether it is an important aspect of some artists’ practice, without the photography element being immediately noticed and often used by major artists not typically named a photographer. In this essay, I will discuss David Hockney’s polaroid photograph ‘joiners’ Pearblossom Hwy, 11-18th April 1986. I will research the creative aspects of the artwork and the message that the artist is trying to convey. More specifically, I will analyse how photography is a necessary part of the process.

David Hockney is a British artist born in 1937, who is mainly known for his paintings and photocollages. He produced his first ‘joiner’ in 1970, composing the photographs into a collage using polaroids. Hockney visited Los Angeles, California for the first time in 1964 and stayed for 6 months. He eventually moved there permanently 14 years later in 1978. In 1986, Hockney traveled to the outskirts of Los Angeles and he was so fascinated with his road trip through the Antelope Valley, that he decided to take photographs of Pearblossom Hwy after taking a commission from Vanity Fair. Though it wasn’t just any old single photograph, he took over 800 separate photographs that were developed at an ordinary processing facility in nearby Palmdale, depicting the desert highway. Pearblossom Highway #2 took about 8 days to complete, however in preparation for this he made a quarter-scale study choosing which elements in the scene should be large and which should be small, borrowing ideas from Cubist painting.

When first looking at the final piece, it takes a moment for everything to be fully seen. There is “not one single viewpoint, but hundreds.” (Gayford, 2019). Every little detail can be seen, from the scattered litter in the foreground to the rocky mountains in the background. “The eye constantly bounces around, focusing on small details; although the image is still, it gives off the impression of motion.” (de Voogd, 2020). Hockney has specifically pieced the photographs together to emphasise motion which isn’t noticed straight away. Hockney has manipulated the viewpoint to make it real, he has cleverly thought about the perspective from inside a car without the car in the image. He has included both the drivers and the passenger’s perspective. The driver on the right-hand side pays attention to the road and the signs; the writing on the floor and stop signs. The passenger, on the other hand, has more time to enjoy the scenery such as the Joshua trees and littered sidewalk. The image as a whole draws you in and leads you to believe that you can continue further down the road but the signs remind you to stop and take in your surroundings, playfully suggesting the irony between the deep-space perspective and the picture’s flat surface.

Pearblossom Hwy is one of his largest photo-based works and the technique behind it “has reappeared throughout David Hockney’s career in different forms” (Zara, 2018). His works were influenced by cubism; turning abstract pieces into a complete picture. In 1982, Hockney created a photographic collage of his mother sat on a gravestone at Bolton Abbey. In this piece, photography was an important factor, however, if all the photographs continued to the edge of the frame, then it would be less apparent that photography was used because the joins aren’t as noticeable. “Each edge makes you subconsciously mindful of what’s not in the picture” (New York Times, 2001) Every photograph that Hockney took was taken at different times in the day and different seasons, which makes you think what goes in the background, or what’s not in the photograph.

This long, bumpy road in Hockney’s piece is known as Pearblossom Hwy. It could connote that this is the road to success and the many different challenges that you will come across. The stop signs could indicate the obstacles you face and the people you meet that will make you want to quit. The “138” sign with arrows pointing either way, could imply the hard decisions you will have to make. But that is just my theory, Hockney made this piece because it was commissioned by Vanity Fair to illustrate a story about Humbert Humbert, looking for Lolita -driving around the Southwest but it never appeared in the magazine. He refused to sell it at first, however, he eventually changed his mind when he was introduced to the Getty Museum in Los Angeles.

Hockney himself describes it as a “drawing with a camera” (Hockney, YouTube, 2012) When looking at the whole piece together, it looks like one photograph taken from a central perspective, but once you’ve fully taken it in you can notice all the joins of the photos and Hockney says that not a single photo was taken from the centre. Although the medium used is photography, he refers to it as a drawing rather than a photographic piece but his photographer friend said it was a painting. In a sense, you could agree that it is a drawing or a painting because you have to create the structure before anything. So essentially you would join the lines of the road first to know where everything else is positioned, then piece everything together like a puzzle. Hockney mentions that one did paint the sky as the sky was made up of around 200 photographs so he chose the different shades of blue and placed them as if he was shading with a paintbrush rather than having random patches of blue. He said, “I was aware cameras push you away, I was trying to pull you in.” He did exactly that, starting with the stop sign and getting close up shots of everything, he created a sense of realism with the final piece.

Photography has been an integral part of David Hockney’s career, using it to capture the artwork and manipulate it in his own unique way. He created many photographic pieces that involve using a camera and often took a large amount to position together as seen in Pearblossom Hwy. In his earlier works, the photography element was apparent when looking at a piece because the joins of the photographs were clearly visible. However, it seems Hockney wanted to make it very clear that he has used photography to create art, engaging his audience and allowing them to feel as if they were involved in the scene. Overall, this piece refers to the theme of time through the manipulation of still images edited together to create a sense of motion.

Word Count: 1077

Bibliography

De Voogd, A. (Feb 4, 2020) The Versatile World of David Hockney. At: Gallerease [online] https://gallerease.com/en/magazine/articles/the-versatile-world-of-david-hockney__d65bfbc5ac48 [accessed 04/03/20]

Gayford, M. (Jun 25, 2019) Hockney’s World of Pictures. At: Tate [online] https://www.tate.org.uk/tate-etc/issue-39-spring-2017/hockneys-world-pictures [accessed 05/03/20]

Hockney, D. (1986) Pearblossom Highway. At: David Hockney [online] www.david-hockney.org/pearblossom-highway/ [accessed 04/03/20]

Weinruab, B. (Aug 15, 2001) Enticed by Bright Light; From David Hockney, a Show of Photocollages At: Los Angeles, The New York Times [online] https://www.nytimes.com/2001/08/15/arts/enticed-bright-light-david-hockney-show-photocollages-los-angeles.html [accessed 05/04/20]

Zara, J. (Sep 12, 2018) Inside the Private World of David Hockney. At: Architectural Digest [online] https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/david-hockney-studio-visit [accessed 05/03/20]

At: The David Hockney Foundation [online] https://thedavidhockneyfoundation.org/chronology/1986 [accessed 05/03/20]

David Hockney’s “Pearblossom Hwy” Video. At: Khan Academy [online] https://www.khanacademy.org/partner-content/getty-museum/getty-photographs-films/getty-photographs-photographers/v/david-hockney-pearblossom-hwy [accessed 06/03/20]

Part 4:3 – Elevated Viewpoints

I have made some notes on the images below:

Derek Trillo, The Cheshire Plain from Beeston Castle and OCA Student, Peter Mansell

These images are taken from an elevated viewpoint such as a building and or a hill for example. Being at this height when taking a photo allows you to see certain things that you wouldn’t see at ground level because of the elements in the foreground would obstruct the view. For example, in the first image you wouldn’t see the form of trees in the circle shape from ground level, you would just see a line. Some in the foreground and some in the back. It’s a similar thing with the skyscrapers, you will see the ones in the foreground but you will struggle to see the ones in the back. From an elevated viewpoint, it allows you to see the 3D aspects of the objects and it shows the scale of the elements.

Derek Trillo, The Cheshire Plain from Beeston Castle, 2008

John Davies, Agecroft Power Station

The effect of taking this photograph from the elevated viewpoint and from a far distance allows you to see the vast scale of the landscape and how much the power plant takes up, especially in comparison to the football players. If you took the photograph from the ground level, you couldn’t see how far the landscape goes. Even though the ground is relatively flat, other elements would obstruct the view.

In the foreground of this photograph, there is what looks like scrap vehicles, rubbish scattered over the floor and a treeline. Further up, there is a football match taking place in the shadow of the towers. This emphasizes the scale of the power station towers but it does not effect everyday life. The landscape continues all the way up to the horizon so there are very many focus points within this photograph, however, this could only be seen at this elevated viewpoint.

John Davies, Agecroft Power Station, Salford, 1983

Bernd & Hilla Becher, Water Towers

Bernd and Hilla Becher are known for repetition of subject matter, often in grids. They are usually all the same but slightly different. This encourages the viewer to look more carefully at the differences between the 9 images emphasising the detail.

Research: New Topographics

After reading an article on the Guardian: New Topographics: photographs that find beauty in the banal, I had noticed that all the photographs were produced in black and white which creates a dramatic effect, however, Stephan Shore was the only photographer to exhibit coloured pictures. I had to research what banal meant and the title basically means finding beauty in the ordinary. I pulled a quote from this article that really stood out to me because it is a real shame to see the beautiful natural landscape being destroyed by roads and buildings. It is clear to see this statement is proven to be true as I continued my research.

the growing unease about how the natural landscape was being eroded by industrial development and the spread of cities.
S, O’Hagan. February 2010

Robert Adams (b. 1937) who took part in the New Topographics project continued to produce subtle, thought-provoking and environmentally aware photographs of natural scenery with urban sprawl. I scrolled through his website and looked at all the photographs that Adams had taken. Accompanying the photographs was paragraphs explaining his thoughts on man-altered landscape. One series that I quite like was 27 Roads, it shows many different kinds of roads from fresh tarmac to dirt back road. It portrays that over time the man-made altercations have become more significant than nature. These photographs could be argued that they are just evidence of the changes made over time, but that may not have been intended by the photographer. I have just chosen 3 from the series.

*Along Federal Highway 287. North of Laporte, Larimer County, Colorado*, 1977

Mitch Epstein’s American Power project is a totally different kind of photographic statement in terms of man-altered landscape. The photograph below shows an oil refinery with the American Flag on the side of it. This is a massive man-made altercation to the natural landscape and America had to make it clear that this huge change was all on them.

American Power, BP Carson Refinery, California, 2007. By Mitch Epstein.

I feel my research here has influenced my own choice of subject within photography for the future because you need to be cautious about whats within the frame of your photograph. I usually try to avoid getting houses and telegraph lines in the frame when taking a photo of the beautiful sunset. It’s difficult to show the natural landscapes content because each element obscures whatever is behind it. This is more so now than in past times because of the mass industrial development.

Part 4:3 – Holiday Photos

For this exercise, it asked me to review my holiday photos and try to remember my motivation for taking them. Also, to what extent did I consider the composition, viewpoint or lighting? I will pick out the ones that are more than just a record of place, images that take you back to your past.

I have so many photographs so I have selected quite a few. Some photos are took spontaneously and I go a little wild when I see something that I like. For example, funky building designs, colourful shops, everyday life but the different culture. Other photos are taken with care, to capture a moment, people we visited or things that are a once in a lifetime thing. moments like these are where I considered the lighting, viewpoint and composition.

Everyone always told me in school, I have a good hand-eye co-ordination and a good eye for photography. I always used to take photos on my phone until my Nan bought me a Sony A58 DSLR and I took so many more artistic photos. I even entered some of my photos into a competition and came 2nd place.

Back to the exercise, the main reason we take photos is because we want to capture moments in our life that are significant but also to show others the beautiful scenery. For example, I went on holiday to Amsterdam and took a variety of photos from the coffeeshops to the canals. The main photos I took was of the buildings because they are all so beautiful. Obviously most of these images look better in the daylight and I wanted to make sure the sunlight didn’t make a glare on my camera.

The image below is from when we went to Scotland in our camper-van. I took this photo because of the amazing scenery but it also shows the scale of the mountain.

This photograph below was taken on my iPhone 7+ in Glencoe, Scotland. I remember taking this photo because I find nature very soothing, calming and it’s beautiful to look at. I was pleased with how this image came out as you can see so much detail. Further towards the back of the image is blurry creating the depth of field.

The next photograph is one that takes me back to when my family and I went to a festival together. The motivation for taking this photo was purely because we wanted to keep the memory alive. Capturing the moment.

I think that you could say that if no thought has gone into taking the photo then it could devalue it. But you have to put even a little thought into taking it otherwise why would you do it? I believe that the best quality photographs come from proper equipment like a DSLR for example. I still like to take photos on my camera and poloroid because they’re nice and vintage and its nice to have physical copies.