JAMES CASTLE

JAMES CASTLE
1899 - 1977
BELOW: IN HIS WORK SHED 1950'S


HE WAS DEAF AND MUTE AND NEVER LEARNT SIGN LANGUAGE OR ANY OTHER FORM OF COMMUNICATION APART FROM EXPRESSING HIMSELF THROUGH DRAWINGS/COLLAGES/HIS OWN CODE. IT IS NOW ALSO THOUGHT THAT HE WAS AUTISTIC. HIS PARENTS WERE POSTMASTERS AND HE USED THE VARIOUS EPHEMERA FROM THEIR JOBS TO CREATE HIS ART WITH AND ON. HE MADE HIS OWN 'INK' USING SOOT AND SALIVA. A DISPLAY OF HIS WORK WAS SHOWN IN THE AMERICAN FOLK ART MUSEUM IN NEW YORK.




I ABSOLUTELY LOVE ALL OF HIS WORK. I THINK THAT IT COMMUNICATES SO STRONGLY HIS OWN INTERNAL UNIVERSE AND ALL THE ELEMENTS TOGETHER FORM A COMPLETE WORLD. I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY WORK THAT I HAVE FOUND SO EXCITING/INTERESTING/EMMOTIVE/EXPRESSIVE IN A LONG TIME..

CURRENTLY READING

JEAN BAUDRILLARD
THE CONSPIRACY OF ART
2004



E.G EMMINSON
INTRODUCTION TO ARCHIVES
1978



BOOKS TO READ::

NICOLAS BOURRIAUD
RELATIONAL AESTHETICS
2002



JAMES CASTLE
A RETROSPECTIVE
2008

PALAIS SCHAUMBURG

PALAIS SCHAUMBURG WERE A GERMAN NEW WAVE BAND AROUND IN THE EARLY EIGHTIES. THEY ARE ONE OF MY TOP BANDS AND THIS VIDEO IS PROBABLY MY FAVORITE MUSIC VIDEO...



PALAIS SCHAUMBURG - TELEFON - 1981



1000 ROBOTA ARE A GERMAN BAND CURRENTLY IN EXISTENCE. THEY ARE ALSO AMAZING AND THEIR COVER OF WIR BAUEN EINE NEUE STADT IS REALY GOOD - ESPECIALLY LIVE.

SHOWstudio / FASHION FILM

SHOWstudio: FASHION REVOLUTION
SOMERSET HOUSE
UNTIL DEC 20 TH



NICK KNIGHT.
TALKS ABOUT HIS BELIEF IN SHOWING THE PROCESS BEHIND CREATING A PIECE OF WORK 'FROM CONCEPTION TO COMPLETION'. ALSO TALKS ABOUT WHAT THE INTERNET HAS DONE FOR INTERACTIVITY BETWEEN AUDIENCE AND FASHION PHOTOGRAPHERS.
FASHION FILM - NOT BEHIND THE SCENES BUT ACTUALLY SHOWING SOMETHING MORE THAN JUST A PHOTO
SHARES THE SAME BELIEF AS GARETH PUGH THAT FASHION SHOULD BE SEEN IN MOTION


FANTASIA

THE SHIPPING FORECAST

THE BBC WEATHER CENTRE - COAST AND SEA - SHIPPING FORECAST
THE SHIPPING FORECAST IS SOMETHING PROBABLY RECOGNISED BY EVERY PERSON IN ENGLAND. IT LINKS INTERESTINGLY INTO THE IDEA TALKED ABOUT BY KATE FOX IN 'WATCHING THE ENGLISH' CALLED 'ENGLSIH WEATHER TALK'. WHERE PEOPLE USE THE WEATHER AS A FORM OF GREETING AND ICE BREAKING. ONCE YOU START LISTENING TO CONVERSATIONS YOU START TO REALISE HOW MUCH WE RELY ON THE WEATHER AS A CONVERSATIONAL PROP.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/coast/shipping/

ESCAPE MAPS AND MONOPOLY

DURING WORLD WAR TWO, SMALL SILK 'ESCAPE MAPS' WERE PRINTED AND SMUGGLED TO PRISONERS OF WAR TO HELP THEM TO ESCAPE. THEY WERE EASILY CONCEALED IN THE HEELS OF SHOES OR CIGARETTE PACKETS AND DIDN'T RUSTLE LIKE CONVENTIONAL PAPER MAPS. THEY WERE ALSO MORE RESISTENT TO THE ELEMENTS THAN PAPER.





ALONG WITH THE MAPS, TINY COMPASSES CONCEALED INSIDE BUTTONS AND OTHER COMMON ITEMS TO BE USED ALONG WITH THE MAPS TO HELP P.O.W ESCAPE AND SUCCESFULLY NAVIGATE UNKNOWN TERRITORY.



THE BOARD GAME MANUFACTORERS - WADDINGTONS - WHO MADE MONOPOLY HAD PERFECTED THE TECHNICALLY DIFFICULT TASK OF PRINTING ON SILK BEFORE THE ON SET OF THE WAR, SO THEY WERE ENLISTED TO PRINT THE SILK ESCAPE MAPS.
THEY ALSO EMBEDDED HUNDREDS OF ESCAPE KITS INSIDE MONOPOLY GAMES. SERVICE MEN WERE TOLD TO LOOK OUT FOR SPECIAL BOARDS MARKED WITH A RED DOT ON THE FREE PARKING SQUARE. THEY WERE DELIVERED BY CHARITY WORKERS. THEY CONTAINED MAPS, COMPASSES, TOOLS AND REAL MONEY HIDDEN UNDER THE BANK NOTES

QUILTS.

FOR MY SECOND PROJECT I AM INTERESTED IN MAKING MY OWN QUILT. I HAVE BEEN VERY MUCH INSPIRED BY MY RESEARCH IN TO FOLK TRADITIONS AND CRAFTS (FOR MY DISSERTATION AND UNIT 10). QUILTING IS CENTURIES OLD AND A QUILT WAS OFTEN MADE AND HANDED DOWN THROUGH THE FAMILY AND ADDED TO. THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF QUILTS THOUGH (BELOW) AND A PARTICULAR FAVEROUTE OF MINE AT THE MOMENT IN GRAYSON PERRY'S 'RIGHT TO LIFE' QUILT. IT HAS A TRADITIONAL FEEL BUT AT THE SAME TIME HAS PUSHED THE CONCEPT FORWARD WITH THE SUBJECT MATTER.

(STARTS IN MARCH 2010)
VNA.
QUILT EXHIBITION.
QUILTS 1700-2010.
http://www.vam.ac.uk/exhibitions/future_exhibs/Quilts/index.html


GRAYSON PERRY
'RIGHT TO LIFE'.
1998.


RAJAH QUILT.
1841.
MADE BY CONVICTS ON BOARD HMS RAJAH


TRACY EMIN.
2002.
TO MEET MY PAST.

TRACY EMINM TEXTILES

TENT.
EVERYONE I HAVE EVER SLEPT WITH 1963 - 1965




BLANKETS