A surprisingly eventful week, that has accelerated my journey toward consolidating the direction of my research project. Monday was spent writing up the mirror/window reflection task. It appears that I responded in a formal essay style, rather than simply writing a piece of prose. However, I found the exercise useful in practicing responding to assignments.
Tuesday was taken up with a webinar on Critically and a presentation by the study support team ASK. The webinar on criticality was somewhat highjacked by frustrations from the student cohort on getting to grips with the various technologies, interfaces, and induction tasks of the course. I have marked as a todo, to research the full spectrum of meaning regarding criticality. The ASK presentation was quick but highlighted the study hub and its various support channels. Again note to self to visit this when time allows.
On the face of it, Wednesday was to be a background reading background day and a time to work through the second module. However, a meeting at my hairdresser sparked a conversation around poverty in which food banks were discussed. This idea then percolated once I got home and I began building the idea on the already under consideration project options of coastal depravation and town and gown inequality. The concept idea quickly grew in my head. The resulting output, a documentary study of the food bank and soup kitchen crisis that has engulfed the UK as a result of the spiraling cost of living and poor wage inflation at the bottom end of the wages spectrum. I made the decision to share this with Jesse Alexander and made contact. A meeting was set up for the Thursday morning.
During Wedneday afternoon and Thursday morning, I developed a short PowerPoint presentation covering the key elements of the project. Our discussion lasted 1.5 hours and Jesse made a number of highly valid points. Namely: The obvious challenges in access. The challenges I will face in order to gain trust. The locations chosen for the project, and the need to consider distance as a factor. Finally, he discussed the perspective of treating the sites as a feature within the landscape. Overall Jesse responded positively and despite my obvious concerns over the challenge of access, I feel a project idea is now taking shape and I can begin my initial research work.
Thursday saw our first meeting with Tim my tutor for this module. There were only three of us. The atmosphere was intimate and lively. Our backgrounds were shared and some progress was made with regard the critical evaluation of our portfolios with respect of this weeks project. It does feels as if much of the work for our weekly project will happen when we are working solo with group-based webinars acting more informally for questions and concerns.
Today being Friday, I have used the opportunity to complete my work on the second topic (Method & Meaning) and write up my CRJ. A productive week especially in terms of the consolidation of my research project focus and some really interesting ideas on project methodologies and ways to abrogate creative decision-making as a creative strategy. I must watch the various Alex Soth films to see this in action.
The Photography of David Rosen 