Value - Location - Irony

Personal response to the regeneration and development of the Elephant and Castle area, specifically East Street Market.

East Street Market has dramatically reduced in size since it first started in 1880. An area with a distinct character, I have been exploring the hidden value with this special environment that is in danger of disappearing. I found that the signs used to show prices for the fruit and vegetables are very low-tech objects - often constituting crude marker-pen words and numerals, scrawled on to scrap pieces of plastic, wooden board or card. Production is quick and easy, reasonably durable, and cheap.

To create a series of ironic versions of these signs, using a technique that requires skill, time, patience and a historical craft process, I chose embroidery. I have referenced the original signs to create a series of six embroidered versions to highlight the diversity, personality and beauty of the market. Photographed in a professional studio setting using produce and crates sourced from the market, the series of images highlight the beauty and the charm of the signs.

Frontier Fields x The Science Museum

An exploration into the work of the Frontier Fields programme, which harnesses the power of Hubble's telescope to see into the deepest parts of space. 6 key 'deep fields' are studied by Hubble, using the natural gravitational pull of distant light sources to reveal billions of galaxies that have never been seen before.

I have designed and prototyped an exhibition space for The Science Museum to educate to a wider audience the work of the Frontier Fields programme. I have developed these 6 images of outer space into laser cuts of the constellations, that form the 6 sides of a cube. When suspended and lit from inside, the holes create shadow and light that is reflected onto the surrounding walls, designed to be large enough for visitors to walk around.

I have also designed 6 additional postcards with laser cut holders, containing the original image taken by Hubble, further information about each specific deep field and an introduction to the Frontier Fields programme.

Mapping responses to the material collection, archive and storage system of artist May Hands.

I have created a series of typographic and image based responses to the various ways that the materials used in May's artwork can be collected and ordered. I have focused on finding multiple connections between seemingly unrelated objects to not only develop my own understanding of May's collection and archival process, but also encourage May to fully explore the potential of her items, as well as creating a more accessible system in which to organise her work.

The final book documents the projects' development, key insights, maps, photography and reflections on the process.

A practical response to my thesis topic, I have examined the roll of designed elements including props and sets in a film’s ability to create an immersive experience for its audience.

I have developed 3 posters for a fictional film based on A Series of Unfortunate Events - The Carnivorous Carnival by Lemony Snicket. The story takes place in the worn out, run down Caligari Carnival. I chose to screen print the posters because of the old-fashioned pre-digital style of writing, and their suitability as an easy to reproduce medium.

For my final series of 3 posters I depicted the carnival’s three main attractions – Madame Lulu the fortune-teller, The Lion Show and The Freak Show. Each poster subtly includes the image of an eye- a strong reoccurring theme in A Series of Unfortunate Events.

The original screen printed pieces are currently on display in the Thesis In Form exhibition in the LCC Typo Cafe.
www.thesisinform.wordpress.com