Evaluation...

Evaluation

Over the past 3 years I have been nomadic with my work. I started out trying to conform and impress other people with my pieces and volume of work, and then I began to understand that interdisciplinary means you can bend the rules. These are not rules established by other people; they’re a personal system. Each individual’s set of rules differs, and this is where the beauty lies with this course. I think myself as an individual, and my colleagues on this course, have all learnt to alter their way of working to coincide with their personal regulations, whilst being able to gain from everyone else’s systems.

This project has pushed me further and wider than I have ever been taken before. Firstly the length of time the final major project is given to complete, allows for a huge expanse of research and preparation plus the idea of the final piece being exhibited really forces you to produce something to the highest standard. It has allowed me to literally go out and capture the essence of my concept, and being able to enjoy the process also.

I believe I have changed my way of working particularly as I know it pays off to produce something, evaluate it and move on to improve it. I have spent the last 6 weeks of this project selecting and editing my work, printing it off, considering how to exhibit it and what methods and equipment to use. This method has enabled me to produce a final piece which I believe is of the highest standard I could produce. I am overjoyed that I have given myself this opportunity of editing as I think it has strengthened my project, tenfold.

I personally think the postcard stand is the item that wraps the whole project up. It is able to produce a conversation piece, whilst also providing mini conversations with what’s written on the postcards. The manner in which I contacted individuals to get them to write on my postcards and return them was really exciting. It was costly and time consuming to do, but even to get one postcard back out of 20 was a bonus. I believe that when you ask someone about themselves they are more likely to respond, plus us as an audience we enjoy reading the responses, as we are a little nosy! During the project I managed to record several conversations, as the original starting question was quite personal, yet controversial; which social class are you in?

I have gained a great deal by finding a starting combination of imagery to use as a final piece, and then developing to changing several times along the way to become what it is now. The tutorials and crits I have had have really forced me to consider my way of working, what message I want to put across, and how I want individuals to read my work without forcing a message upon them.

My original proposal for this project was to investigate the social class of Britain. I believe I have been able to examine a very traditional yet tiring pastime in our society, which has begun to crumble over the last couple of decades. The increase in available money has meant families are more able to pay to holiday abroad, leaving our local resorts to be empty. This has meant a lack of income for such resorts and subsequently they have begun to wilt and fall apart. I have tried to regain some of the spirit associated with British Seaside Holidays and bring back memories for those who have had the pleasure of going on one. My aim to bring back the smell of salty sea air, candy floss and fish and chips with the sound of waves crashing and the amusement arcades with seagulls flying over head symbolises the losing battle of British tourism and enhances the audiences understanding of our ever changing society, ‘It wasn’t like this in my day’.