PERSONAL PROJECT, Object React

 

Having received a high 2:1 for the first of our four 3rd year units I felt it would be wise to have a look back at my work and get ready to hopefully push this up to a shiny shiny first!! 

Object React brief part 1: Johnny Hardstaff [ http://www.rsafilms.com/d/rsa/companies/rsa-uk/85 ] came into deliver a 24 hour workshop comprising of a trip to Manchester Museum, group discussions and mind mapping/ starting to develop ideas. The brief was to "break the accepted language of museums and bring these artifacts to life ...using absolutely any appropriate media". We each selected an object from the museum and began to think about what the object would say if it could speak and how would it say it .. would it visually express itself or sonically - we looked closely at the rich history of our object, the human emotion and stories that it represented- its bigger story and themes. It was amazing how much deep routed and contemporary relevance that I got out of my chosen object: An Egyption seal called the Heart Scarb [ http://www.egyptian-scarabs.co.uk/heart_scarab.htm ]. I enjoyed the group critic at the conclusion of the workshop, everyone pitched in ideas and Johnny had a natural talent for expanding on ideas with his unceasing enthusiasm. It was an interesting and well structured workshop with the freedom to develop your own ideas, yet the capacity to discuss and critic them in a group as they developed. It would have been nice if Johnny had contextualised the brief a little more with more detailed and visual information about other similar projects he has been involved in and run,  I feel that this would have given the day a little more grounding. The workshop developed skills in quick brief responses - efficiently dissecting a brief and understanding what is needed to solve the design problem. The aim was to produce an intention, not a final design. Johnny encouraged me to be decisive as in an industry context the client is going to "need to know very quickly what you are going to do, how you are going to do it and what it is going to look like". 

Part 2: I decided to tackle the optional main brief for 'Object React' which was a continuation on from the 24 hour workshop to develop and realise the intention that I formed in part 1. The project deliverable was to "Develop your visual manifesto into a fully formed remarkable and original graphic visual response (using any appropriate media) that addresses the object's inherent problems in reaching an audience and imparting its story." the idea was to communicate your evaluation  of the objects deep routed meanings and question the accepted and familiar language of museums directly challenging contemporary expectations. 

My Solution : 

Ancient Egyptian scarab seals sit dustily in a dark corner of Manchester Museum. I have brought them to life by exploring their themes of protection and creating an artist’s book which can be sold around the city as an intriguing invite to the museum. The heart scarab is placed with the dead and asks the heart not to testify against that person when it is weighed on the day of judgment.If you look closely you will be able to see my own hearts secrets that were left out unprotected to the elements and recorded three times a day as the sun is rolled across the sky by the sun-god Kepher for whom the scarab beetle is a symbol. Time in its relentless cycle took my page of secrets and they enter their next life.

 This project has huge scope to be expanded, for example the web, ‘pick an object and explore its passionate themes for yourself at www.ManchesterMuseum.com’. It would sit nicely in a shop like Magma and could be adapted for children, think of all the games possibilities!...