Part 2 Psychogeography and ‘Edgelands’ - Exercise 2.6: ‘Edgelands’

Part 2 Psychogeography and ‘Edgelands’ - Exercise 2.6: ‘Edgelands’

We are asked to read ‘Wire’ and ‘Power’ from Edgelands and to record our responses in our learning log. 

Edgelands is considered the area between the city and the countryside, I suppose the grey between the black and white. I grew up in the country side and as a child used to roam for miles in the woods and hills. The nearest city at the time was Guildford which is now much changed. I can recall cycling into work and noticing how the change occurs between small villages in the country and the city build-up.

I now live in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire and again enjoying the hills, woods with journeys of 30-45 minutes to find the nearest cities.

The text In general I find tquite entertaining and feel the enthusiasm from the writers. This makes a refreshing change and the content and its understanding is much better for it.

Interesting that there is mention of the power station at Didcot. I also mentioned this in my earlier exercise travelling past it twice a week. Of course its now the subject to a collapse with the tragic loss of life.

I wonder if my understanding of edgelands differs from the authors, its all a matter of perspective. They appear to discuss them as the areas just outside where they might live, necessarily close by but far away enough, in respect of the power stations, to not participate within city life. My perspective is different, on my journey it tells me I am nearing the big cities, Reading, London. Living in the country it suggests a nearing toward the city, not the borders of the escape from one as you might pass through.

Whilst not as tall we do see the growth edgeland shopping malls. Cribbs Causeway, Bristol resides in the edgeland area. It has been so popular for so long yet it self in such a short time finds itself usurped by inner reconstruction. A journey to DeMontfort University In Leicester shows the inner-city redevelopment of buildings, particularly student accommodation. Suddenly education of future generations has become a cash cow for others. However we also find edgeland Universities, inner cities to congested perhaps.

The edgelands for me where I live and much blurred but I can find examples travelling short distances and wonder where is the best location to live. Whatever the choice the edegelands are to be navigated on the journey in or out from both perspectives.

I attach a link to a review by the Guardian of the book and I love the quote it makes in references to some of the people spoken to by Farley and Roberts as "A few individuals stumble past in the distance, like extras from The Road". Indeed this has been a favourite film of mine and one I discussed in an earlier exercise. The film also influences me for Assignment 2

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2011/feb/19/edgelands-farley-symmons-roberts-review

Part 2 Project Land Art - Exercise 2.5: Text in Art

Part 2 Project Land Art - Exercise 2.5: Text in Art

I've selected the journey that I take on a Monday morning for this exercise.

• I travel to Lydney Rail Station by Car
• I travel from Lydney Rail Station to Newport Rail Station by Train
• I travel from Newport Rail Station to London Paddington Rail Station by Train
• I travel from London Paddington Rail Station to Heathrow Central Station by Train (HEX)
• I travel from Heathrow Central Station to the Compass Centre, Heathrow Airport by Bus

Text has long been used in Art to advertise products or a way of life. Being a regular gym user I've seen in multiple gyms posters using some dramatic scenery and perhaps a lone runner with some inspirational text.

The question is does the text compliment the image, or does the image compliment the text? Or perhaps do they or should they compliment each other. On the journey I take many opportunities at stations are taken to sell products. Book covers will use the text for the title of the book and the book cover image to promote and sell the book. In the example of the inspirational posters in the gyms I mentioned above its to promote your fitness endeavours and likely the gym itself.

Perhaps in genuine Art with text its to suggest or make certain a specific message within the image, it could be complimentary or contrary to the image itself. I do notice that much of the advertising at Newport Rail Station in Wales is to promote tourism so sometimes its pictorial Art and sometimes its art representing participation in an activity.

In summary at this stage I would say text in art is used for commercial reasons. Magazines are very good examples and I would think its success could be measured directly against sales.

The work of Edward Rusha in the man is potential product related art and text, 

Barbara Kruga's work, at least that I found (the link doesn't work) uses text and art but the presentation of the text is more artistic than that of Rusha's. Its also thought proving, for me helping me to look inwards rather than outwards, perhaps akin to the inspirational gym posters I mention earlier. Using a specific style and colour Kruga's work is more a set of art and becomes linked as a result.

Mark Titchner has used multiple images with text and the single message is conveyed across a series of images. The art includes photographic work with text and also I think what would be described as grunge art with text imposed. 

I have started to follow the work of Sebastian Michaels and his photoshop grunge. Its images taken with a camera and enhance, elaborated, altered using Photoshop. I find it very effective and an interesting spin-off from what is perhaps mainstream photography art.

This exercise asks me to make 12-24 observations during a journey I've taken so I'll use the journey I mention at the start.

However I confess to being confused by Richard Long's text works, by confused I mean I;m struggling to bridge a link between it and photography. I wonder if this exercise is to help us consider what we see in the landscape a little more simply, experience and document a simple emotion etc since its these that we trying to convey within our images but without the aid of text..... well that what I think

1. "Whilst some awake, some return to sleep". 
Early mornings are dark and wildlife such as foxes, deer and boar can be seen at this time of day which are rarely seen during fuller daylight hours

2. "The weather changes me, I must change myself to face the weather as myself"
Cold mornings and wet mornings while I wait for my transport may encourage me to use specific features of the station, cover from the rain, wind or perhaps an area where the sun is shining and standing in this space is warmer than elsewhere

3. "There are many people yet I feel so alone"
People are quieter in the mornings, as their bodies start to wake up and prepare for the day ahead

4. The view improves but is the truth simply hidden"
The trains have some polarising element in the windows, this can make the sun rises appear more colourful.

5. "Like a carrot on a stick, I'm teased with delight I may never mind" 
The train may allow access to positions not able to be explored by foot or car. I often see locations that would be good to take up with a camera but their accessibility is very limited, no trespassing on railway land else there is no road or path that can be used to get to the location

6. "There are no sounds but the commercial noises deafen me" 
Stations are used for advertising, most definitely art and text are combined. This made me recall a John Lewis TV advert where perhaps the creation of the film clip is simply to out do other typical advertises at this time of year with a long clip followed by an extremely short time confirming who the advertiser is. Until this point the film clip gave nothing away but the future talking about the clip and naming it as the advertisers allows advertising in a more subtle way

7. "I'm moving watching a moving sun but the reality is my whole world is on the move 
The light varies as the sun rises and so the colours of country side vary, the softer light brings out more beauty, certainly the golden hours

8. "When the trains stop running, the silence deafens me" 
Houses close to the railway line, I wonder what effect the noise  has on people's lives, can you ever get used to it or just lean to live with it.

9. "Waiting for payday, I have already planned how to spend it" 
Advertising is prominent at stations, true examples of text and art combining in effective ways, mostly

10.  "UK industry collapses, the toll on human life is unbearable"
I travel through Didcot Parkway station and the collapsed building is now easy to recognise. i read with horror that the 3 missing persons have yet to be found, likely still buried by the collapse. I feel very sorry for the families clinging to hope and still unable to grieve fully

11. "Where am I, where have I been? The destination is important but perhaps the journey more so"
Rail and Station Improvements take a long time in cases to complete. they cause disruption. However the changes at reading Station are quite dramatic both visibly and in ability for the trains to pass through quickly

12. "The seats remain, the occupants change" 
People waiting to get on, people waiting to get off trains

13. "Like lemmings we wait for our fate" 
In most cases the British way of queuing, its a different story on European trains where its more a free for all, though this is could be said of the London Tube

14. "Journey's end is but another journey's start"
Transfers to a different train can be time consuming and any delay in one arriving upsets the journey going forwards

15. "Everything changes but it remains the same" 
FGW becomes GWR (again)

16. "I see the words but they no longer speak to me"
Text on the sticky paper to confirm a trains destination, the text and colours used, some artwork but no images

17. "I move down the moving train, my search begins"
Reserved seats and occupied seats and frustration in finding an empty seat
On a trip home its been so busy I've stood compressed by bodies on the train and still managed to fall asleep standing up

18. "it is only myself who could end up in lost property but who would come to find me"
The carrying of my bag with laptop and overnight clothes etc. I've forgotten the freedom of making a journey carrying nothing

19. "Buses I don't need bring me information I don't need"
Advertising on buses, mainly the promotion of films on the London buses. I have seen and read enough to recognise a partial advert to tell in most cases what it advertises

20. "Should life's journey always be signposted or should we simply find our own way in life?"
Directions at Heathrow Central Terminal for onward journey.

I'm not sure how well I've met the brief for this assignment but it certainly simplified my vision of what my image should create based on the experience I felt looking at the scene. Perhaps this is process I need to follow to create an image with an emotion or story?

Text and art are very visible if you use art liberally and are used to help and advertise. Its a combination used throughout history, much More effectively used now. Sci-Fi films like Minority Report suggested future potential use of art and text for advertising where eye recognition showed the potential for targeted advertisements. It will be interesting to see if this fiction becomes reality