Research Update

Sunday 14^th November 2010

I have been researching cave paintings further today. I found a very interesting and informative website called the Bradshaw Foundation (http://www.bradshawfoundation.com  consulted on 14/11/10). The Bradshaw Foundation seem to dedicate themselves to all forms of prehistoric ‘rock art’ and give much valuable information about these ancient art forms (including carvings outside) from all around the world. There are cave paintings from not only France, but also Africa, America and Australia.

France, Niaux Cave

Zimbabwe

Arizona

Australia, Gwion Gwion

Most of these paintings are of animals and humans hunting them - these images appear to be forms of good luck charms, to help with the success of hunting food. There are also some cave paintings that consist of stencilled hands/hand prints and even the introduction of some geometric shapes. It is suggested on The Bradshaw Foundation's website that these geometrics may be the earliest forms of symbology, which will lead on nicely into research of hieroglyphics and other ancient forms of ornamentation on walls.

Tuesday 16^th November 2010

Hopefully we will be having a team meeting tomorrow. I need to meet my fellow team members to discuss progress and what directions they are all headed in. I am continuing my research into the history of applying decoration to surfaces (in particular walls but other surfaces have merit too) but I am being distracted by the fact that I have got behind in my research due to work pressures.

Currently my research is based upon two books; they are The Grammar of Ornament by Owen Jones (2008) Herbert Press and The Language of Ornament by James Trilling (2001) Thames & Hudson. I am struggling with comprehending the text of The Grammar of Ornament as it was written in the 19^th century and therefore progress is slow. His first chapter opens ‘From the universal testimony of travellers it would appear, that there is scarcely a people, in however early a stage of civilisation, with whom the desire for ornament is not a strong instinct. The desire is absent in none, and it grows and increases with all in the ratio of their progress in civilisation. Man appears everywhere impressed with the beauties of Nature which surround him, and seeks to imitate to the extent of his power the works of the Creator.’ The desire for ornament, as Mr Jones puts it, has been present since ‘stone-age’ man decorated his cave with hunting scenes but as this part of my research will show many forms of ornamentation applied to walls actually served another important purpose other than that of decoration – functions such as communication, in the form of Egyptian hieroglyphics, and warmth in the form of tapestries used in Medieval Europe.

So, back to the text books, I must have something to discuss at the meeting!

Visit to Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester

Unfortunately I was in for some disappointment – I had hoped that there would be permanent displays of wallpapers through the ages, but it would appear that they put on shows of wallpaper designs following a theme. The current display is called ‘Walls are talking: Repeating Patterns’ and the theme is gender/sexuality.

Although this was a very interesting display it wasn’t what I had hoped to see. Photography was not permitted in this gallery either, but I took notes of the designs that I found most interesting.

The first area of this show illustrated wallpaper designs specifically aimed at men, mainly in a sexist way that seemed to depict women as sex objects, such as ‘Right Hand Lady’ by Allen Jones, this paper is machine printed using gravure rollers.

In the second area of the exhibition was a range of children’s wallpaper designs featuring Barbie, Sindy, Batman and James Bond. These wallpapers were obviously designed as gender specific wallpapers.

In another section were wallpaper designs which included genitals and other unusual subjects for wallpaper, for example ‘Tits in Space’, a fun and quirky machine printed design by Sarah Lucas, http://www.vam.ac.uk/images/image/41231-popup.html  consulted on 11/11/10

One of my favourite sections of this show was two wallpapers designed by Francesca Granato and Helen Knowles, Conception (below) is a fascinating design based on the male and female reproductive systems, but it has been laid out and coloured in such a way that initially it looks like an Art Nouveau design – brilliant!

Birth, because of its scale also appears to be just a pattern until the viewer steps closer and see various images of birthing positions, very clever. These designs can be seen at http://birthrites.org.uk/index.php?id=332  consulted on 11/11/10

In the South Galley is a wallpaper installation named Ivy Wallpaper by Thomas Demand. This is a very large, double height room with massive amounts of natural light from huge picture windows overlooking the Whitworth Park, and all of this is essential to set off the Ivy Wallpaper. It is simply a wallpaper design featuring life-sized ivy leaves, it has been machine printed but then additionally hand-painted to add texture.

There was also a fascinating exhibition of textiles, showing different types of fabrics, from diverse periods of history and places of origin and also produced by using varied methods of pattern application including embroidery, printing, quilting, appliqué, knitting and weaving.

‘The Whitworth's collection of historic and modern textiles is the largest and most comprehensive collection of flat textiles outside London. The importance and range of the collection, both geographical and chronological, as well as the facilities for research, make it second only in importance to that at the Victoria & Albert Museum. Objects in the collection, which number between 15,000 and 20,000, range in date from the 3rd century AD to the present day. Textiles have formed part of the Gallery's core collections since it opened to the public in 1890.’

http://www.whitworth.manchester.ac.uk/collection/textiles  consulted on 11/11/10

Toiles –an original and behind it a contemporary and an edgier, cooler version from Timorous Beasties.

These are various examples of floral fabrics through the ages, including a 1960s print and an 18^th century embroidered skirt.

Try as I may I could not get a good picture of this – the South Gallery is reflected in the glass – but I love this hanging so have still included it. The hanging appears to include quilting, appliqué and embroidery and when viewed properly has a lovely textured appearance. The swirly flow of water is quite magical and the weed looks like it would feel rough to the touch.

In spite of the fact that there was no display of wallpapers through the ages I really enjoyed my visit to The Whitworth Art Gallery, it is a very pleasing environment and I plan to visit again when the wallpaper exhibit changes next. I am also inspired to visit the V&A as soon as possible too.

Decisions about further research

Wednesday 3^rd November 2011

I attended the first meeting of the group that I will be working with for this module. Everybody seems very nice; the team consists of Mike, Emma and Phebe. After discussing our first ideas about the theme ‘Applications’ we have agreed to get on with some research. Mike is planning to research architecture, Phebe is looking into lighting and Emma is studying surface pattern. I, very foolishly, said that I would research lighting and surface pattern. Having said that that is what I plan to do, I will do so. At the same time I also intend to do some research into other methods of applying pattern designs to surfaces, other than appliqué. There are several traditional crafts that I may be able to incorporate into my business. Initial thoughts are découpage, collage and pyrography, all of which could be produced within a cottage industry situation.

The lighting element of research may have some uses within my chosen field, but they will mainly relate to colour, shadow and perception, although the projection of a pattern onto a surface may also be of some interest.

I am intending to visit the Whitworth Gallery, in Manchester, at the weekend. This will, hopefully, give plenty of food for thought in the context of applying meaning or subtext to a design.  

Wallpaper

‘Wallpaper collections are relatively rare.  The Whitworth's comprises several thousand examples and has an international reputation.  The bulk of the Collection was given to the Gallery in 1967 by The Wall Paper Manufacturers Ltd., which had controlled most of the UK wallpaper industry since 1899. Since the 1970s further donations and purchases have helped to make the Collection one of the most important in the country.

It contains wallpapers and other wallcoverings dating from the 17th century to the present, from simple patterns printed on small sheets of paper, 18th century luxurious embossed and gilt leather hangings to numerous late 19th century examples by well-known designers such as William Morris, Voysey and Crane.  The 20th century is represented by products showing the skill of craftspeople involved in producing a wide variety of decorations, the inventiveness of early post-war designers and the exuberance of those working in the 1970s.  A relatively recent departure is the acquisition of work by late 20th/early 21st century artists such as Abigail Lane, who use wallpaper in a fine art context.’

http://www.whitworth.manchester.ac.uk/collection/wallpaper consulted on 3/11/10

The Walls are Talking: Repeating Patterns

What do Barbie, Batman, James Bond and the Spice Girls all have in common? You will find them all pictured on classic 'boys' and 'girls' wallpapers in this display that explores wallpaper's connections to gender and sexuality.
As well as featuring stereotypes and celebrities, the exhibition includes many one-off or limited edition artworks. Artists such as Robert Gober, Niki De Saint Phalle and Allen Jones knowingly play with visual representations of sex, celebrity, machismo, pornography and childbirth.  Made for a domestic setting where gender roles are played out, wallpaper is the perfect medium to highlight and question these repeating patterns.

http://www.whitworth.manchester.ac.uk/whatson/exhibitions/wallsaretalking consulted on 3/11/10

Welcome to the Creative Interaction module

Friday 29^th October 2010

We have moved on to a new module called Creative Interaction, it is worth 30 credits and submission is on 25th January 2011.

Because I work during the morning, Monday to Friday, I, unfortunately, had to miss the Introduction for this module. The Briefing session took place at 10am on Monday 25^th October.

I had a tutorial late yesterday afternoon, so now have an idea of how to proceed but am also a little behind in my initial research for the meeting next Monday afternoon.

The theme word for this module is Applications – so I now need to get on with some research.

I need to consider what or how the word ‘applications’ would apply to the world of Interior Design and Wallpaper Design, and also any historical and contextual references to applications.

Sunday 31^st October 2010

Yesterday I moved this module along by looking up the definitions of applications; obviously dictionaries describe the word application in the singular rather than the plural. I found two explanations, in Chambers Encyclopedic English Dictionary (1994), which will be useful in relation to Surface Pattern Design…

‘application noun the act of putting something on to a surface; the thing put on to a surface.’

‘appliqué noun decoration for clothes, fabric, etc, in which material is cut into shapes which are sewn on to the clothes, etc, to make patterns and designs. [from French appliqué, applied]’

So my starting place for researching Applications was appliqué as this is literally something applied. I will also consider all wall and floor coverings as applications as they are applied to surfaces… patterns as applications when applied to wallcoverings, rugs, tiles, soft furnishings…colours as applications when applied to pattern designs…the problem, may be, knowing where to stop!