Making Space:Sensing Place

In October 2009, along with artist Thurle Wright, I was awarded a Making Space:Sensing Place Fellowship; part of the HAT: Here and There International Exchange Programme, managed by A Fine Line:Cultural Practice. The Fellowship includes residencies with Britto Arts in Dhaka, Bangladesh, with Arts Reverie in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, with The V&A Museum of Childhood, Bethnal Green, London and with The Harley Gallery, Nottinghamshire. Working and collaborating with artists and craftspeople from the UK, Bangladesh and India, responding to the collections and spaces we encounter and sharing these experiences through a touring exhibition and educational workshops.

This blog, which is still developing and being added to, is a record of my experiences during the MS:SP Fellowship. Steven Follen.
www.stevenfollen.com

Showing posts with label India. Show all posts
Showing posts with label India. Show all posts

Thursday, 9 June 2011

Building boats - making toys


The exhibition finishes at the V&A Museum of Childhood this weekend and moves on to the Harley Gallery in Nottinghamshire. To mark the end of the London show the MoC has organised an event celebrating Asian culture:  'A glimpse of Asia'.

I have been asked for ideas for a one day collaborative project / installation inspired by the exhibition and MSSP project and suitable for working with all ages of visitors to the museum.
Two thoughts a came to mind, both similar in process: -  participants could personalise a standard design on flat sheet of card using coloured pencils, cut it out,learn to fold and form it to make a 3D object, add their own creation as part of a larger shared collaborative piece. They can also make another to take home.

Looking back through the sketchbooks my first thought was to make a wall panel of folded flowers - paper versions of the metal ones in the show and inspired by the textiles, garlands and offering flowers I had seen in India and Bangladesh, the block printing, the wall paintings and the project with the children at the school. Individuals could colour in their own flowers or add messages to the petals, then pin them together with others to make a vivid panel of colour and texture.





The second; a flotilla of boats to grow and float its winding way across the museum floor. 
Inspired by the boats in Bangladesh, the visit to the Boat museum, the toy 'put-put' boats in the markets in Bangladesh and India, the boat yards at Mandvi and the tin toys in the Museum of Childhood.


The boat idea won the day, so I have been designing and making simple card models of boats from a single A4 sheet, forms that can be personalised, easily cut out, scored, folded and assembled with minimal equipment and resources (so far I have one like the putt putt boats, another based on a bangladesh boat).






The A4 template sheets can be copied onto card.


I hope it will be a fun day and we will be able to make lots of them, it will be great to see them cover part of the floor and weave its way across one of the museum spaces.

Friday, 25 March 2011

Shortlisted


One of the photographs I submitted for  the 'Home' category of the 'INDIA Future of Change' photographic competition has been shortlisted: 'INDIA Future of Change'.

Saturday, 12 February 2011

India Future of Change

Some of the MS:SP Fellowship photos from India have been included in the 'India Future of Change' photographic competition.
You can see them on the flicker site here: India Future of Change.

Tuesday, 30 March 2010

Monday, 29 March 2010

Shiny Metal

I had seen more of the water vessels around the old town, shiny brass and copper. I decided to revisit the coppersmiths I had met earlier in the month, I wanted to see more of what they did and observe their techniques in more detail. There was a big language barrier but it was a pleasure to sit and watch the skill and directness of their work, the scale of what they make.





Once constructed the vessels are cleaned, under the board a large pit filled with sulphuric pickle is used to clean the oxide from the pots.
A combination of pumice and diluted cow excrement is used to clean the pots and give them a surface ready for planishing.
 When cleaned, the pots are then taken across to another workshop to be planished, to work harden the copper and texture the surface.