ARTISTS TALKING

# 1 [1 December 2006]

Cities grow and change over time, new replaces old, new roads bridges redefine connectivity within a place.  My project is based on the idea that we can most readily see this change by comparing maps from different periods in history   My home city of Newport (in South Wales)is a place undergoing drastic change, there’s extensive demolition and the centre of the city is being drastically remodeled.  This has caused me to reflect on the nature and character of this place and wonder how that may change.   Of course any place is a accumulation of past changes, minor and major. It will be interesting to try and disentangle this.  I’ve been thinking about this for a year now, I presented my ideas to some of the art professionals in the city, I think I was a bit red faced and inarticulate, but my enthusiasm seemed to grab them and they have endorsed my idea.  My exhibition will show in our  new arts centre The Riverfront recently built and itself part of the regeneration of the city.

# 2 [5 December 2006]

Newport my home town is situated in South Wales and lies on the banks of the river Usk.   You can’t miss the river it bisects the city, numerous bridges link up the two sides of the river.  You might have heard of the famous transporter bridge (www.crowpoint.co.uk/transporter_bridge/).  An electric powered gondola passes between the tall towers,   When I was a kid a journey across it was an exciting event it felt as if you were going to a another distant place -us Welsh don’t expect a lot.

  The river has one of the biggest tidal ranges in the world, at low tide the sticky mud banks are exposed.  Many find these mud banks ugly, but I quite like them and they are home to lots of different types of birds who also seem to like them.  Newport is a port city with a rich history, its home to a diverse population, the city has been described as being ugly and post industrial.    Well it is  a  bit rundown but all that is changing, the city is being  redeveloped,  a new bridge has been built, extensive demolition is taking place  combined with  the creation of a new shopping centre, we will even have a Debenhams store!  All this change has created a feeling of hope and optimism for a better future.

In 1839 Newport was the scene of the chartist uprising.   The Chartists advocated electoral reform and sought political rights for a wider stratum of society than what was then included.   You still sense that commitment to social justice and  helping the disadvantaged in Newport today. There’sa emphasis on providing decent housing and improving peoples living conditions.   I was brought up in one of the many council estates that  lie around the city.  Its sort of an   ideal, that can have a funny side.  I do get a bit fed up with the classical music (Of the stirring type) that they pipe into the bus station each morning.

# 3 [21 December 2006]

Been looking at old ordinance survey(OS) maps in the local library  they are more calligraphic and flowing  than their modern counterparts.   Some of these maps go back over a 150 years which is the sort of time frame that interest me.  The maps were regularly re-published every twenty years or so, with updates and changes.

When comparing maps, the changes became very apparent.    Starting with the earliest maps I could see a radial growth from the center, evidence of new replacing old. Swathes of woodland disappear as time moves on.   I suppose any place is patch worked in this way, bits being added, removed and replaced.   Some maps reveal significant social changes, workhouses were indicated on maps from the nineteenth century and maps from the 1950's onwards show evidence of social planning at that time, with the appearance of large estates and schools and the infrastructure that supports them.  

As I understand it any map which is fifty years or older can be freely used without infringing copyright.  If you wish to use more recent maps you need to contact the OS and seek permission.   Many people think that the laws governing the usage of this type of material should be freed up in order that full creative use can be made of them.  I intend starting my project next year (Feb time) so now seems a good time to approach the OS and clear my proposed usage.

# 4 [11 January 2007]

Received some good news, the ordinance survey have granted me permission to make use of historical maps within my project- was a bit worried about that, the project is based on comparing maps of different ages, so not to have use of these maps would have caused major problems.  They have asked that I just include an acknowledgment of their permission in any exhibition material, which seems reasonable.  The other piece of good news is that my project will receive the support of the Arts Council Wales, its nice when people say yes.   So I feel in an optimistic ready to go mood.   My project is pretty much in the main digital in other words carried out on a pc.   The idea is to produce the artwork on the computer using suitable graphics software, these will then be printed.   To do this type of thing calls for a pc with a bit of power.  Plenty of memory and a powerful processor, I'll need to bolster up my machine.   I will draw to the screen using a something called a graphics tablet, this is a device that plugs into your pc you move a electrical pen over the tablet and you will see the image appear on screen.   The hand eye co-ordination thing is a bit different since you are not directly viewing your own hand, producing the drawing.   Anyway must get one soon, they are horrendously expensive but I can't do without one.    Starting the project is about   getting the right tool set, the correct software and computer configuration, not quite paint and brushes I know, but art means many things I guess.  And then it's off to go.   It surprising  but to get to this starting point has taken a lot of time - a years planning.

# 5 [29 January 2007]

Not fully with it at the moment and I haven’t even started my project so that's bodes well for the future?   The graphics tablet (the electronic drawing board) arrived over a week ago but stands unpacked in the corner.  Is this the electronic equivalent of writers block.

My mind's full of other stuff at the moment, a mixture of trivia, family matters, and the wider world.  The typical mangle that occupies our day to day thoughts.   Spring seems to be coming early here- the daffodils are fully   in bloom.   What is traditionally a joyous symbol of spring perhaps portents of something far more ominous for the future.   Had a nice day in Bristol, Saturday gone went to the Royal West of England academy they were showing their open sculpture show.   The RWA is a fine old building, you sort of imagine the place to be populated with pompous conservative old farts, but they show a wide range of interesting work there.  It cost three pound to enter and was free for the kids.   Show was nice , the absence of any support literature let it down a little, as much for the exhibitors as the visitors, I would have though the six quid could have run to a free A4 printout.
 Hopefully this won’t be the last one will catch you again.

# 6 [21 February 2007]

Have finally  taken my graphics tablet out of its  box  and connected it up to my pc.   The process is -you move a electrical pencil over a pad positioned on your worksurface  and draw,  the image appears on the pc screen  and its  as simple as that.   Even though your not directly viewing the action of your hand, everthing makes sense and coordinates.   The graphic tablet  is responsive to  the pencil  pressure and the angle at which the pencil is held, so all in all it feels a fairly natural intuitive experience.   I think it would be fairly well nigh  impossible to do this project without this equippment.  Current technology has enabled the project,  I guess  new technology will always act a cataylst for artist experimentation, which must be a good thing.   Im using the pad in combination with a graphics software package, I know people can get a bit intimidated with software, so many options where do you  start.  The point is that you will only ever use a small amout of that functionality, its just knowing the bit you want.  In my case it was the pencil tool that interested me so I got familiar with that aspect of it.   I'm trying to define a look for my maps how they will appear the quality of the lines, their smoothness and weight.  I want a organic flowing look  to the maps the idea of a living evolving landscape.   All these sort of things can be controlled an tweaked through the software so its all about experimenting at the moment.

# 7 [2 March 2007]

Have completed my first map! It shows the whole city of Newport. When printed it will be large, over a meter square. The River Usk bisects the town and enters the Bristol channel. On the west bank of the River is the district of Pill and this has special significance for me. Pill is the docks area of the city. Over the years many immigrants have found a home here - my grandfather was one. In this one small district there are in excess of thirty languages spoken. Some of there communities are very old, there has been a Somali community here for over a hundred years. More recently there have been arrivals from Eastern Europe. So in a sense this map charts changes in those who have come to live here. The map is unlabeled, reduced to a series of unmarked flowing lines, I have tried to give a pattern like quality to the map. I imagined the mystery and draw of the land, this sense of coming to a new place seeing it for the first time, something quite different to that you know. Full of unknown symbols. The natural shape of the river/land seems to communicate this, the course of the river is sinuous and opens funnel like to the Bristol channel, the river seems to draw you in towards the land, it seems to suggest a new life to come. I can only imagine it must be the strongest of motivations that brings a person here to start a new life. I see this map as a type of landscape revealing the form of the land and water. The course the river takes is very attractive, which is ironic in a way, when viewed close to, the exposed  river mud banks are quite ugly.

# 8 [5 March 2007]

I started  mapping the local park called "Belle Vue".  This  is a Victorian park, a little faded but still beautiful, it was created by the famous victorian park designer Thomas Mawson. It's our local park, my mother played here as a little girl and its where my kids play now.  This place can seem no more than a pastel dream and on this stage  many bitter sweet minor dramas are played out.  There are many characters -‘Parky' is the park warden.   To kids of a previous age they were a force to be reckoned with.   Parky now works part time, co-aided by CCTV cameras.   The present incumbent, told me he has to tread a wary path with both kids and adults, who can blame him, he values his personal safety. Times change we change.  This  map will be a  intersection of all that, a crossing of events past and present, some personal others observed or historical.  I like having a chat to some of the older park user's,  they may have been coming to the park for many years and notice change.   They tut this and that and hark back  to a time when the bylaws of the park were  adhered to.   Then, there was no vandalism or rubbish and dogs were kept on a lead and people it seemed were nicer to each other.   I don't know how true all that is, but it interests me and I want to draw that out ideas of social change played out against the backdrop of the park.     

# 9 [6 March 2007]

I been keeping regular contact with the gallery where my exhibition will be shown.   Discussing the project and exchanging ideas.   It's a useful exercise and gives me a bit of feedback and some constructive criticism.   However from this exchange a slight difference of opinion has arisen.   In combination with my drawn maps, I'm producing a series of sculptures.  These sculptures represent certain details from each of the maps.  The idea is that the viewer would seek out the sculptures within the maps.  I thought it would be a good way of getting people to look at the detailing of the maps.  My park map contains a dog fouling sign, just as you would see in any park.  Apart from representing it within the map I also want to have it made up as an actual sign.   Here lies the problem, an actual sign with the title of "don't give a shit".   The gallery has no problem with it being an untitled detail within the map, but having it as a separate sign with that title is causing some problems.   Contrary to what it shows it's not just about a dog taking a crap.   Part of this map thing is about social change, previous generations willingy followed the rules and conventions of their day, by contrast we tend not to attach as much importance to them, perhaps that may sometimes border on being antisocial, that's the direction.   Anyway I'll tone it down, will be disappointed if I have to bin it, took me ages to get that dog's arse right.

# 10 [14 March 2007]

There have been shops in the old commercial quarter of the city since the early part of the 19^th century.   I guess that over the  years, the ownership and nature of the business has changed.   The chippy used to  be a butchers, but what was it before that?   I went to the local reference library and looked at Kelly's directory.    Kelly's directory records the details of local commercial premises.  They go right back so you can trace the history of a particular shop or group of shops in any area within the UK.  Its fascinating stuff, in the early part of the 20^th century many of the business seemed to be makers.  There were hat makers, basket makers, boot makers, and watchmaker's - evidence of a thriving fairly self-sufficient community.   There was a temperance bar on the street.   The temperance movement was a reaction to what was then regarded as the evils of alcohol, the temperance movement advocated moderation/ abstinence from drinking alcohol.   This movement started in the North of England attracted a huge following and temperance bars sprouted up all around the country.   Here you could sample many non-alcoholic delights such as Dandelion and Burdock, Sarsaparilla, Ginger beer, Cream soda, Vimto, Black Beer & Raisin.    Of their time they seem to have more or less disappeared, I understand there may be one remaining in Lancashire.          . 

"Temperance" such a quaint sounding word, indicative of another time and way of thinking.   I don't think now, we would see any virtue in the concept of "temperance".   Moving along in time(1942) to the  local funeral parlour sandwiched between the newsagent and the tobacconist   advertised,  "All social classes catered for".  Divided even in death it would seem.