Next event:
ERINN SAVAGE – Performance
Tomorrow 15:00 GMT
I am delighted to welcome you to The Glasgow School of Art Graduate Showcase 2020. We hope you enjoy our creative response to mounting a physical degree show during the current pandemic. Our digital platform enables us to share the work of our hugely talented graduates at this important moment in their careers.
As a creative community we understand and value the significance of the physical public exhibition, and its importance to the individual practitioner and their audience. Once we are able to move beyond social distancing, the GSA is committed to assisting our graduates as they enter their creative careers, supporting them to develop physical exhibitions which showcase their work. Our support will manifest itself in sponsorship and access to exhibition spaces, and our dedicated team are developing a guidance framework for this next stage as I write. Glasgow as a city thrives on the quality and volume of its exhibition and cultural programming, it is essential that the GSA and its graduates continues to contribute to this going forward and we are committed to making this happen.
The work within this exciting digital showcase represents the culmination of a student’s time with us, their unique creative journeys and signals the start of their professional lives. You will notice as you scroll through the site exploring the work of our students, that a number of them have linked their work to the National Union of Students’ Pause or Pay campaign and a group of PGT students have chosen not to submit work at this time, the reasons for which are detailed within their personal statements. We hope that these students will in time submit work and the digital platform has been developed to allow this. All students can add new work as they complete it allowing them to share with you over the next 12 months the development of their practice as they transition from graduate to professional practitioner.
We invite you to join with us as we celebrate our students, view and engage with their work and reflect on the importance of creative people and creative education in complex and challenging times.
Penny Macbeth
Director, The Glasgow School of Art
Fashion Design Sustainability and responsible design have always been at the back of my mind when designing. My project is centred around re-using and de-constructing pre-existing pieces to create something →
Textile Design – Embroidery. You can find out more about the students and the Showreel at www.gsafashionshow2021.com
Initial schematic drawing and the development work at 1:2 scale.
Site Isometric
Construction Details
Showcasing the relationship between the brick volumes and timber roof.
Site plan at 1:500 scale
Initial arrival section/ elevation to the site at 1:500 scale
Site section at 1:500 scale
Site section at 1:500 scale
Detailed section and elevation
Visualisations
The project emphasises a sense of journey. The buildings act both as a destination and as a starting point for adventures beyond. The incorporated walkways connect the different buildings and allow people to explore the boundary where water meets land.
This most recent project as part of Stage 3, is a music retreat fro children and community performance hall in Balloch, for the music charity Sistema. The proposal uses active and passive systems that utilise the environmental nature of the site which include the bank of the River Leven just before it joins Loch Lomond, and an island facing the bank. The retreat is on stilts which straddles the boundary between the island and the water. The island provides seclusion whilst still engaging with the town. It takes precedent from ancient Crannogs once found on the loch often built for defensive purposes.
An island denotes isolation. The water acts as a defensive barrier and gives the retreat a sense of protection, in a location that is open and public. The client expressed that the trip was equally an opportunity for the children to get out of the city and be in nature as it was about learning music. I wanted to foster this. The island allows for the children to have space to explore freely without any interaction with the public.
The offsite Brettstaple construction allow for easy and sustainable deconstruction as the panels can be readily reused. All that is left is the recycled aggregate concrete foundation, which creates a platform for new interventions or a simple public space. This was to mimic the man-made islands, which is all that is left behind from the ancient Crannog structures. The temporary nature of the retreat suggests the island is only borrowed and what is left is a space for the community to inhabit.
The community performance hall acts as front door to the music retreat. This is to encourage chance happenings as well as organised engagement between the community, visitors and those on the music retreat.
This image represents my fundamental design goal: how to frame the natural beauty of Balloch. I took my inspiration from those unfortunate sea creatures who are imprisoned in restrictive and oppressive fish tanks in a sea life sanctuary on the loch. Whilst they are so close to the outdoors they are actually prevented from thriving outside in their natural habitat. In human terms I wanted to create a more positive relationship between inside and outside where visitors felt safe and warm inside but were drawn to the views of the loch and nature outside.
1:1000 Site Plan exemplifying the linear relationship between the residential and performance hall venues; imitating the pre-existing railway of Balloch which, its final stop was at the tip of the pier. The progression of a boat from jetty to jetty via both buildings and a canopy shaded pathway on land, shows the multipurpose links and modes of transport available as ways to accommodate the users when moving around the site.
Mammals and nature co-exist between the walls of the residential retreat, through vast glazing, an indoor / outdoor living experience and materiality and design elements. On arrival visitors will observe a hanging façade of carved natural wood. The flowing, rippled appearance of the wood connects to sound waves created by children inside to the lapping waves of the river made by Mother Nature outside.
1:50 principles of building detailing and mirroring front elevation render
This performance hall concept serves as the threshold between land and water and is celebrated when music is being played by the residents. The choice of a curving form was precisely designed to imitate the mountainous range in the backdrop as well as the formation of waves, which are surrounding the pier that grounds the hall.
Early concept development
Early documentation of the River Leven
Mapping of the industrial estates on the River Leven
sketchbook scans
sketchbook scans
Interiour drawings
Axonometric drawing
perspective section
This project began by looking at the half stepped floor slab as the main separator of space within a living unit. The proposal is based upon the psychological divide this creates. The apartments provide the user with a high degree of flexibility and adaptability, with the half step as the only pre determined separator.
Like the masterplan developed previously in this project, where an outer edge contains the historic grid, the proposal conceals and hints at a hidden world inside the scheme.
A master plan was developed prior to the design of this scheme. The main ambition was to maintain the historic grid in Glasgows city fabric, utilise the surrounding vistas to create new ones and provide spaces for informal knowledge exchange in key spaces placed in the new vistas designed. We called these spots ”beacons”, to help visitors and passers by navigate through the neighbourhood.
Through chamfered corners, new vistas and narrow lanes, the proposal stays true to the outlines decided upon in the masterplan, and opens up at ground floor level into a semi private courtyard through a series of hour-glass shaped openings in the building fabric.
Section and cross section showing the dialogue between housing and public space, as well as its relationship with existing building heights.
Each flat has a unique layout and consists of several half stepped floors, with the only constant being the stacked load-bearing cores providing plumbing and services for the kitchen and bathrooms.
The language of the elevation is kept deliberately neutral to refrain from indicating what a certain room designated usage is.
The inhabitant chooses what spaces to divide, to what degree and with the materials they themselves prefer. It is not up to the architecture to determine what a certain space should be used for. That is for the inhabitant to decide. The line between labour and domesticity is drawn by each user according to their own needs.
The undulating roof scape is a response to exposure, with the tallest parts facing the outside and the lower parts facing either a square or neighbouring buildings in the masterplan.As the proposal sits within the inner part of the masterplan, the decision was made not to design taller than the buildings surrounding the site, to retain a sense of intimacy.
Three moments in the scheme showing: 1. Entering the semi private courtyard. 2. Approaching one of the new public squares through the masterplan. 3. A view of the southern elevation approaching from Argyle Street.
Left: a collection of study- and massing models used to progress the design. Right: a presentation model exploring a section through the scheme, showing the relationship between building and courtyard as well as the incorporation of vertical circulation.
Photo essay for MacMag 45 documenting The Bourdon Building, home of the Mackintosh School of Architecture, to celebrate its 40th anniversary.
Photo essay for MacMag 45 documenting The Bourdon Building, home of the Mackintosh School of Architecture, to celebrate its 40th anniversary.
Photo essay for MacMag 45 documenting The Bourdon Building, home of the Mackintosh School of Architecture, to celebrate its 40th anniversary.
Personal project investigating how nature slowly engulfs manmade environments, invoking scenes of an imaginary past. The history of the place becomes emphasised and amplified.
Personal project investigating how nature slowly engulfs manmade environments, invoking scenes of an imaginary past. The history of the place becomes emphasised and amplified.
The Citadel Community encourages as many domestic, production and commercial tasks to be performed in groups, by providing a variety of large functional spaces that surround a central gathering space - like the layout of Islamic Citadels. The dwellings are organized based on individual and group activities and the many terraces surrounding them provide opportunities to socialize and grow as a community.
Glasgow faces the challenge of finding ways to function more sustainably and create less waste whilst housing and providing work for an expanding population. By encouraging communities to live in organized neighborhoods whereby neighbors can support each other with domestic and laborious processes: resources can be shared amongst many citizens and waste can be reduced.
The ‘Acoma Pueblo’ in New Mexico housed a society that lived harmoniously with each other and the natural world. Emphasis is put on spaces where domestic and production activities were performed in groups, these are shared by many multi-level dwellings which are efficiently organized. These layouts have informed the separation of activities in the residential cells of the Citadel Community and allowed more space for public, commercial and production areas throughout all the levels of Block 1.
In this co-housing, people can become each other’s traditional meaning family in an unconventional way and decrease spend. They can work at the co-working area or elsewhere by leaving their children at the nursery with qualified older people.Older people can spend the day with their own age or have fun with children. Labour and family are in their own self, but not isolated anymore.
From ground floor to second floor, these areas work as transition area.It brings labour to the domestic and domestic to labour.
Combining the three different unit types together, it can helps to create many sharing/private social areas in between in order to work as social condensers.
Three unit types have been developed. Unit A is th unit type that designed for single parent with children only. Unit B is the type for elderly people only. Unit C is the only mix living unit type in this building.
1:50 cross section for Young and elderly center with a classical theatre
Typical Flat layout for large scale family. Each family member has a specifically designed space aimed at various levels of social interaction depending on their generation. A void space is created above the stairwell so all members can hear each other throughout the home once leaving their specific private bedroom space.
More project work coming soon.
From the initial site analysis, we identified the lack of social infrastructure in the surrounding area of the site. The project chooses diverse vulnerable groups across society and reforms a part of the city to accommodate their fundamental needs, bringing in the density and services needed to sustain a community and support the surrounding vicinity of our district.
My project focuses on the needs of workless families, aiming to break the cycle of unemployment by making different models of labour observable to children from workless households and providing parents with the facilities to access support finding a job.
View of the main public entrance to the proposal looking towards Trongate. The proposal is set back from the street to allow for the creation of a public square in front.
View of the back of the proposal. All domestic circulation is external and exposed to allow for smaller communities to be formed around the shared front gardens that each serve four flats.
The long section shows the vertical play area that takes place in the core courtyard of the building. This allows children to observe different modes of labour in the public library on the lower floors and the office spaces within the flats that are placed to face into the play area.
The flats are split over two levels and interlock to create shared outdoor spaces at the front and back. This front and back garden will be shared between a different set of 4 flats to create smaller communities for shared working and childcare.
This drawing shows the way the flats interlock to create shared outdoor space on two levels. Each colour represents a different 3 or 4 bedroom family home.
This is a typical lower floor plan of a flat. The design comes from my aim to create housing where domestic labour (primarily childcare) and traditional labour (‘work’) can coexist and complement each other by creating working and childcare communities around shared outdoor space.
This is a typical floor plan of an upper floor plan of a flat.
These photos are taken of a model made to work out my initial ideas for a unit that deals with the issues of the relationship between labour and domesticity. I wanted to tackle the question of ‘how can you work from home without feeling like you are working from home?’ My solution was an upper floor that can fold up during the day to create a double height work space on the lower floor. Additionally, the walls between units can slide open to allow for collaboration between neighbours to resemble a more traditional office setting.
With Antwerp being an extremely diverse European city, it was necessary to convey the different nationalities residing within the city. The range of nationalities of people residing in the city prompted for a thesis response which sought to invite the “world” to a central location to learn about languages of the country.
Antwerp has had major public realm improvement with Antwerp Central station being expanded to include a high-speed rail service which removes the terminus status of the station. The site selected for the proposal is the subject of a recent major public realm improvement which is situated on a main `boulevard within the city which used to be a boundary wall of the historic city. This makes the site selection favourable as it’s on a key historic gateway to the city from the newer side of the city.
Being surround by major transport links such as the train station, bus station, bike station and newly revamped metro-station, allows residents from all over Antwerp to come and learn languages, furthering their communication skills whilst acting as a catalyst for cultures to mix.
This ground floor plan shows an open foyer with exhibition space and cafe located on the ground floor.
This sectional study shows the main internal atrium space which acts as a catalyst for social interaction.
This long section shows internal spaces of the language institute as well as the surround context. This includes the Antwerp tower, opera and the recently improved public realm on the boulevard.
Researching the famous Dutch architect Herman Hertzberger, the design of educational buildings becomes clearer with his intention to create spaces which promote social interaction within its users. Hertzberger talks of “Inhabitable Corridors” which refers to circulation space become useable space in comparison to the traditional classroom arrangement where the corridors are often too long and dimly lit. These diagrams seek to show the different tools envisaged within the proposal building.
Moving from the ground floor to the first floor via the main staircase, users are granted access to a public lecture theatre. Travelling up through the building via another widened staircase, more traditional classrooms are located on the upper floors.
The following plans give a sense of the different room layouts intended. There's an aspiration within the design to create open social spaces as well as some enclosed learning spaces. The teased theme in these floor plans looks at designed circulation space given the same lighting quality as the teaching rooms themselves.
This image seeks to show the materials envisaged for the project at the mid way point during the design phase.
territory of several denominations were indicated by colours and the dome and white are shared as a sacred place
conflicts among culture, religions, architecture and territory
perception - a certain length of time pass repeatedly
perception - insensitive to time
perception - sensitive and concentrate on specific moment
site on boundaries, among the new and old context, a cross the infrastructure
The Thesis Project speculates on the impacts of AI, the robotization of labour market and the growing inclination towards automation and replacement of human jobs by machines, as well as seeking to define new parameters for a post-capitalist society through the design of a new typology building which combines a ‘human’ and ‘machine’ programme.
Over the years, Antwerp’s identity and territorial expansion has been strongly connected with its port (ranked second in Europe after Rotterdam) representing the main economic driver for the city and the whole Flemish region (approximately 10% of the GDP and a total of 140.000 in between direct and indirect employees).
The race to productivity, efficiency and international competitiveness of today societies, is leading the Port of Antwerp to invest more and more into new technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), drones, self-driving vehicles, automated cranes and many others; a tendency poised to change not only the logistics and shipping industry but also other sectors.
The proposal is set in a future scenario (2055) where Antwerp will be hosting the World Expo, an international exhibition designed to celebrate the achievements of the future automated Port of Antwerp. The event will lead to the construction of a new Institutional building located in the fraction of water separating the city and port area, establishing a new dialogue between the machine and human environment.
The building design takes the shape of a tower acting both as a gate to the port as well as the culminating entity of Het Eljiande district cultural axis, dominating Antwerp’ skyline and the former Port Authority. The building programme includes: . Data centre, digital infrastructure governing the automated port (machine); . Leisure, education and expo activities to entertain Antwerp’ citizens and visitors (human); . Cable car station as the new transport link between the tower and remaining Expo buildings in the locks; . Drone port occupied by drones whose purpose is to monitor the port landscape; These two main blocks are detached by a central atrium bringing light in and allowing drones to move freely.
The section suggest Structurally, the building is defined by a modular layout in the south-side block due to the scalability and change in size of the data centre, while the north-side block is characterized by a hybrid truss system, allowing big open spaces for flexible and adaptable uses in order to respond to people needs and requests. To conclude, the two concrete cores stabilize the entire structure crowned by a system of 3d printers, cranes and robotic arms which automate its own construction.
The building environmental strategy foresees the reuse of exhausted heating produced by the data centre into leisure activities such as the swimming pool, sauna and showers or energy supply for the rest of the building. Therefore, this new sustainable data centre concept strives to transform this high energy-consuming typology into an energy-producing resource for communities to generate their own power.
Most plastics on this planet end up in the ocean. Whilst recycling schemes in Europe claim to recycle waste produce, vast quantities of plastcs are actually sold overseas and dumped into landfills or into the ocean. Therefore there is a large requirement to close this system off and ensure that the plastic waste is reclaimed and re-purposed. The program of the thesis aims to provide this service for the waterways of Antwerp, in a way that allows teh public to understand what exactly is happening within their own city.
The location for the thesis was chosen because of the relation of the existing buildings to the city and the port. The Loodswezen building once was the base of operation for the city's port pilots and stands as physical connection between these two. The site was also significant due to the fact that it is in a promising part of the city, but has never been connected. Throughout its development it as always been separated by canals, trainlines, tramways and roads. As such this was an oppertunity to provide the City with some active waterfront space which could be enjoyed, instead of being hidden away.
The location of this site is on the outskirts of the historical city, and the old port. As such this area of antwerp is largely developed and the oppertunity to provide local residents with open living space is small. As can be seen from the location plan, this site provides a large area with access to green infastrcture and is one of very few sites along the entire east side of the river to utilise the riverbank for indiviudal recreation.
The project program revovled around the re-purposing of plastics and reducing the waste of the city. As such it seemed like an oppertune moment to explore how construction could also occur with reduced wastage. As such it was the intention of this thesis to explore how architecture could be built at large scales using natural materials and materials from the local area. As such much of the construction is proposed through reclaimed bricks, timber, and rammed earth.
With a number of e-scent products being produced over the last few decades ultimately failing to do our olfactory systems justice, and some products such as iSmell joining the list of ’25 Worst Tech Products of All Time’, Balsyn aims to rebrand the digital scent industry into something we could imagine using in our daily lives in the future. The concept for this project comes from the discovery of a Japanese company that controversially uses the theory of vibration of olfaction, which argues that a molecule’s smell character is due to its vibrational frequency. By using this unproven theory, the design and aesthetic of a fictional product could be imagined in more creative and speculative ways. The product’s design consists of a flexible nose strip which is to be worn externally on the nose to interrupt the olfactory receptors inside the nose and brain and to replace any physical, real world scent with one that has been transmitted using either a phone or computer. The dot, a small circular sticker, is placed on the speaker of the phone or computer in order to pick up the vibrational frequency to then send to the nose strip. Both devices are made from TechnoGel, which is a breathable, flexible, waterproof and non-irritable, bio-degradable material. The name of the company and its logo were designed with the intent to feel like a global, large business and familiar like the big tech brands we know and use. The advert uses a template that the tech industry provides, to create the feeling of authority, innovation and the future.
A Type of Sound Creating a relationship between type and sound. Using the typeface Futura the geometric sans serif typeface which was based on visual elements of the Bauhaus design style of 1919 to 1933. Futura’s simple geometric circles, triangles and squares represent function over form, taking away the nonessential and decorative elements. Working with a local musician Pefkin https://pefkin.bandcamp.com/music to match sound to type and create a sonic typeface, I immediately thought of how soundwaves are graphically represented by triangle, sine, square and sawtooth waveforms. We assigned a waveform to fourteen letters, matching the shape of the letter to a waveform, and created 2 octaves worth of tuned sonic type. With the remaining 12 letters we created more percussive tones, using found sounds. Instruments used include Korg Volca FM, Korg Volca Modular, Doepfer Dark Energy, Korg Kaossilator, Arturia Brute, acoustic guitar, Aeolian Chimes found object sound sculpture, zither, ebow, chimes, hydrophone.. The sounds were treated using reverse reverb, pitch-shifting, backwards loops. Using After Effects the new typeface was animated and combined with the individual sounds to create an interactive typeface that was ever evolving into a new sound or shape with simple overlays, pitch speed and rhythm. Through a significant period of exploration and experimentation the project has evolved from a simple circle, to a sonic, visual and interactive typeface which can be applied in work, play or identity. Mark Burnett Year 4 Com Des – Graphics M.Burnett1@student.gsa.ac.uk
Creating a relationship between type and sound
Creating a relationship between type and sound
Drypoint, 2019
Woodcut, 2020
Drypoint, 2020
Drypoint, 2020
Drypoint, 2020
Monoprint and drypoint, 2020
Drypoint, 2020
Monoprint and drypoint, 2020
Collage, 2019
Deriving it’s name from a chapter featured in John Graham Dalyell’s 1834 work ‘The Darker Superstition’s of Scotland’, 'The Virtue of Water and Salt (of the earth)’ is an ongoing project. Belief in superstition has long been characterised as a sign of ‘low-intelligence’, and associated with societies most marginalised groups, such as the lower-classes, people with marginalised genders/identities, and people of colour. Superstition has arguably also played an important role in the lives of those who could not access essential yet costly amenities, from herbal remedies in place of the services of a costly doctor, to folk tales, impractical-practical advice and genuine reasons to socially interact with one another. This project aims to explore this second, less spoken of side to superstition.
A sketchbook example.
‘Invisible Place/Hidden Cities’ ‘Invisible Place/Hidden Cities’, developed after reading Italo Calvino’s ‘Invisible Cities’, was an exploration of the role of lanes and alleyways within cities and places. I had become interested in whether lanes, in their overgrown and neglected state, often served as a more truthful reflection of the goings on in the area they are located than the better-groomed roads and streets which encased them. The final series, depicted here, sought to articulate the feeling of being stood in a lane, where it is almost always slightly dark and claustrophbically narrow, cluttered with weeds, forgotten objects and discrete happenings, which are seldom tidied up as they would be elsewhere. They sought to ask the viewer whether the events and stories (good, bad and secret) which occur within them could happen anywhere but the enclosed space of a lane, or are they where these occurrences seek refuge, away from open spaces and prying eyes.
‘Invisible Place/Hidden Cities’ ‘Invisible Place/Hidden Cities’, developed after reading Italo Calvino’s ‘Invisible Cities’, was an exploration of the role of lanes and alleyways within cities and places. I had become interested in whether lanes, in their overgrown and neglected state, often served as a more truthful reflection of the goings on in the area they are located than the better-groomed roads and streets which encased them. The final series, depicted here, sought to articulate the feeling of being stood in a lane, where it is almost always slightly dark and claustrophbically narrow, cluttered with weeds, forgotten objects and discrete happenings, which are seldom tidied up as they would be elsewhere. They sought to ask the viewer whether the events and stories (good, bad and secret) which occur within them could happen anywhere but the enclosed space of a lane, or are they where these occurrences seek refuge, away from open spaces and prying eyes.
An illustrated book, whose contents explored the anonymity, presence and locality of one of my Great Grandmother’s, who had passed away just three years older than myself on the time of writing. ‘Of All My Mother’s Who Came Before’ is a book concerning familiarity and presence of predecessor’s and those who went before.
An illustrated book, whose contents explored the anonymity, presence and locality of one of my Great Grandmother’s, who had passed away just three years older than myself on the time of writing. ‘Of All My Mother’s Who Came Before’ is a book concerning familiarity and presence of predecessor’s and those who went before.
Original etchings
Price: £35
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
This work may contain graphic imagery, Click to toggle blur.
Prints A3
Price: £40
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
FATHER is a book containing works by photographer Harley Weir exploring the complexities and beauty of masculinity. The cover uses bespoke lettering I created for the project highlighted in a pale pink foil, I chose to explore this kind of lettering to evoke the feelings of childishness that resonates with the title along with the rich, sumptuous forms within the content. May 2019
Polluted is a photo-series that attempts to portray water pollution through the use of chemicals from around the home on film negatives to represent possible contaminants our waterways are exposed to. April 2019.
The charitable organisation Girls Against held a competition to design the cover art of their first fundraiser compilation vinyl. I designed the winning entry that consisted of a lino cut design depicting a powerful woman surrounded by grabbing hands. I felt this design was appropriate as the organisation aims to raise awareness and fight against sexual harassment and assault at gigs. August 2018.
Lost was the penultimate project from my foundation year at Arts University Bournemouth. It focuses on my Granddad’s time in Vietnam and attempts to embody how his alzheimers may have effected the memories of his time there. I chose this particular time period after discovering a scrap book he had made that ducumented his time away with the Army supplying a rich variety of source material pertaining to one particular period in his life. The book utilises blank space along with damaged pages to enhance the curated and edited images to try and immerse the viewer in the disintegrating memories of a person with dementia. May 2016.
Persephone was a self directed print making project that resulted in the creation and sale of t-shirts on Everpress. This lino cut attempts to portray the Greek myth of Persephone’s descent into the underworld and her transformation into a queen. August 2019
Garden of Chaos is a new magazine that aims to showcase Middle-Eastern countries, fashion, art, history and culture to a worldwide audience. This project is still in its infancy with final outcomes still in the process of being refined and developed. The desired logo is intended to be a modern play on Hieronymus Bosch style illustration and medieval Arabic manuscripts creating an intricate sigil for the reader to decipher. Ongoing
This project portrays the human mind as a delicate fabric prone to fraying creating a metaphor for cognitive disorders such as Alzheimers and dementia. I created a series of woven images from family photos of loved ones with dementia that aim to give the viewer an insight into the issues that come with loss of memory and the subsequent loss of self. September 2019
DAD is a font that has been taken directly out of the notebook my father keeps to aid his memory and transferred onto the digital plain. It was born out of the observed deterioration of his handwriting as his condition progressed, creating a visual embodiment of the often unnoticed early stages of Benson’s syndrome. March 2020
Videos I put together for 'Work in Progress' exhibition
Initial research behind project looking at poems and old family photo albums
Cropped suit jacket inspired by photographs of my mum in the 80s with a white nylon romper.
Distorted jacket inspired by photograph of my Grandad with exaggerated high waisted tailored trousers.
Exaggerated tracksuit jacket with cut out details exposing yellow nylon lining. Inspired by photographs of my older sisters.
Ruched sleeve rain jacket with scarf detail inspired by a Glaswegian football player and the fans scarves.
Tracksuit with 70s collar and exposed print detail and distorted flare trousers.
Pinstripe shirt with 70s collar and ruched waistband inspired by photographs of my parents in the 70s and 80s.
Final Line-up featuring Raymond Depardon's photographs of Glasgow in 1980
Accessories project inspired by the headscarves and shopping bags seen in photographs of old women in the 80s.
The COVID-19 situation is a crisis and challenge effecting the whole of us. Trough this pandemic creatives had to find new ways of making, marketing and distributing products. These have to provide safety and purpose. Isabell put her own gtraduation collection on hold to help make medical scrubs during the lockdown period. This also led to exploring smaller projects like these commuter bags to provide a product with a deeper meaning and function. Sustainablitly is a key element in Isabells designs. The prototype bags were made out of left over calico, retiered yoga matt, retiered tent fabric and secondhand zips.
Looking at my previous research from a new angle led to a curiosity for the Sherpas in the Himalayas. I want to explore the impact of the commercialization of Mount Everest on the Sherpas, their families and their environment. Mass excursions force the mountain to drown in garbage and their locals to suffer from the impact on their water and ecosystem. But in the same moment there’s the need for heavy tourism to keep their economy going. These conditions put extra danger and responsibilities on the Sherpas. I want to express how a change in clothing and functional outerwear provides the Sherpas with more protection, but conversely increases accessibility to inexperienced or amateur mountaineers with life-saving clothing/ gear. This in turn feeds into the commercialization of high-altitude mountaineering. (Altidude aka. privileged adventure tourist driven by his amateur financial impetus to be one of the best mountaineers in a once in a life time excursion.)
When we take images using our phones we typically take them in bursts and select the best ones for social media. This is explored in Rust where taking a memorable day from her own phone she has used machine learning to generate artificial beach imagery to imitate existing memories which she has planted within the grid of a camera roll. As we scroll through our camera roll would we notice that false images had been placed amongst the burst? What else could be suggested to us?
In Jamais Vu images are generated based on social media status updates which others have publicly reposted and shared through memory apps. These images were then framed and staged within her own home as sentimental photographs would be. The frames are placed above artificial flowers next to a family clock which has stopped working. While the scene may seem ordinary in passing, on closer inspection may appear odd.
Machine learning/trained print
3D printed models
Print of a match between Rafael Nadal and Rodger Federer in the 2008 Monte Carlos final.
Video documentation of how the artist created his work, exploring the technology and thinking that went in to finalising the piece
Still image of the prints on display
Image of how the prints compare to live tennis matches
A motion capture experiment of a point between Rafael Nadal and Juan Martín del Potro in the Wimbledon 2018 Quater-Final
Documentation of design research in liminal space.
Digital computer aided design model of 3D printed sculpture.
Machine learning algorithm image output from self-portrait sequence.
Machine learning algorithm image output from self-portrait sequence.
Digital computer aided design model of 3D printed sculpture.
Digital computer aided design model of 3D printed sculpture.
Mockups of Final Outcome
Through hosting creative activity-based workshops, I have been collecting honest, first-hand experiences from young people in relation to their mental health. Using the information gathered from these activities and discussions I determined 3 key themes; medication, barriers to accessing support and stigma. Using these themes, I have been developing a series of works.
From discussions that took place during the focus groups, it became evident that young people consider mental health support and care to feel very clinical. In particular, participants commented on feeling ill-informed, anxious and confused about the use and role of medication on their treatment. This work is a visual interpretation of these discussions. Using machine learning to generate fictional medication names, I have been designing and assembling my own medication packaging. My intention is for this packaging to be convincing and mistaken for real prescription medications, thus highlighting how trivial and alien medication names, and the role of such medications, can feel to a young person.
For this study I have been working with one young person to develop an augmented reality application that communicates some of the barriers they have encountered when accessing support for their mental health. The main challenge this young person faced was consistently relying on telephone communication to access such services – something they found impossible due to the nature of their anxiety. Using the AR application, audio and animations are activated when visual triggers are detected. These visual triggers are fictional correspondence inspired by the real correspondence the young person received - one of the most significant being a self-referral card. While a self-referral system might seem practical for service delivery, and can even seem insignificant to others, it can be a huge barrier to some users who need to access the service. In this work I hope to communicate the emotional implications of such systems and how they can be counter-productive for young people in the treatment of mental ill-health.
Stigma is still a significant barrier when it comes to young people talking openly about their mental health. When a young person experiences stigma they can begin to feel their mental health condition defines who they are. Using the Tobii eye-tracker and Processing I have been developing an interactive installation that features video interviews of three young people talking about their experiences of mental ill-health and associated stigma. These video interviews are initially distorted with stigmatising phrases the young person has experienced. When the eye-tracker detects that someone is gazing at the display the video becomes less distorted – and the user begins to ‘see’ the person beneath the stigma and hear their story.
From 'Conversation' series
From 'Conversation' series
This series is a study of gestures taken from a set of interviews.
Looking through history, people have labelled different hand positions and movements, through symbolism within cultures and specific moments in time. Furthermore, how people have progressively shifted their hand behaviours through the age of personal devices. Our hands have adapted physically to its new demands. Taking selfies and holding a portable device in your hand has become the new norm and what body language culture has spawned from this era.
A cast of a left hand which has been 3D modelled and then laser cut
series is the study of people's hand movements when responding to the question “What do you think about ghosts?”.
This series is the study of people's hand movements when responding to the question “What do you think about ghosts?”.-
Michael (desktop computer) displaying the Chrome extension that replaces technology related words such as computer, machine, CPU etc. with their humanised counterparts.
Screenshot of the same extension replacing words on a webpage.
Sample of the extension's code done in Atom.
Screenshot of extension working on webpage.
Processing sketch that causes a popup to appear on screen whenever there is an attempt to close the window.
EEG-VR wearing concept / Illustrator
Virtual garden illustration / Illustrator
Virtual garden illustration / pencil, colour pencil
Virtual garden / Unity
Brainwaves / Muse lab
In this six storey building. The first five floors are dedicated to a range of sizes of flats to accommodate a variety of tenants.
A main design feature throughout the shared spaces in my design is curved walls. Curved walls are softer on the eye and the doorways located between the light voids and the external storage acts as a natural boundary between public and private space and giving them a feeling of “indoor streets”
Natural light was an important factor when designing the layout of this building. I wanted to give more attention to spaces which are normally disregarded when designing residential buildings. Light voids down the centre of the building allows me to avoid having narrow dark corridors and gives the space more purpose rather than just being a pathway to get from A to B.
Choosing materials which are sustainable, durable and affordable was important when designing this space. After researching lots of examples of previous social housing in Glasgow, a common theme was poor material choices which lead the buildings to fall into disrepair. The materials used throughout the building are easily maintained, within a reasonable budget as well as being environmentally friendly.
Often in new residential buildings, there is a lack of personality with every doorway only being distinguished by a number. To avoid this, and contribute to easy navigation of the building, I chose to incorporate different coloured doors as well as the curved design creating the opportunity to personalise your doorway personal belonging.
To encourage community living, the top floor of the building is a social space which provides entertainment for tenants of all ages. These facilities include a games room, a play area, a gym, a library, a communal laundry and an indoor walkway full of greenery and natural light.
This indoor walkway is a space for tenants to come and relax or take a walk when the weather isn’t so great. It is flooded with natural light from the large windows that surround the entire top floor and skylights in the roof.
As this housing scheme aims to provide people with a healthy life a gym in provided on the top floor to encourage tenants to keep fit and healthy.
Often in flats there is not enough space for young children to run around and play, which can often cause tensions to run high when living in a confined space. This open space with visibility from the walkway allows parents to socialise while keeping an eye on their children playing.
visual collage
visual collage
poster of my project
movie
This exploded isometric illustrates the scale of the building with its layered interior, rooftop garden bar and natural surroundings within Glasgow’s vibrant city centre.
An illustrative map shows The River Hotel and Clyde Gin Bar in relation to the surrounding city centre along with main connection routes to North, South, East and West of Glasgow.
The River Hotel’s façade boasts natural stonework shown in this 2D visual seen alongside The Clyde Gin Bar, the only public space throughout the hotel accessed from its exclusive riverside frontage.
The entrance foyer makes use of natural light which floods this stylish yet functional space. With self-check in screens, 24/7 lobby desk and grand staircase, The River Hotel is bound to make a great first impression.
This section cuts through the Clyde Gin Bar showcasing booth seating to outward facing windows for views of the clyde, feature copper horseshoe bar and atmospheric private booth seating area towards the rear.
The Clyde Gin Bar is all about immersing yourself in local Scottish gins and how they are made. With 1:1 gin tasting experience you will learn about the botanicals used in each gin to their accompanying perfect serve. A smaller bar makes for a more intimate learning experience, creating a personal relationship between customers and staff.
The River Hotel has been designed to create an experience for every customer while being aesthetically focused, generating a range of atmospheres throughout. As they journey through the building, the interior will encourage visitors to reflect in its quirky corridors before they cross the boundary to their own private space.
These sections showcase the Main Suite and all it has to offer. Section A displays the spacious sleeping area and its connection to the luxurious en-suite, although not completely closed off the use of materials creates a balanced divide between these two areas. Section B shows the lavished dressing area with bespoke archways housing wardrobe, shelving and vanity unit featured in all rooms. These arches are a reference the buildings architecture which is a key inspiration throughout the hotels design.
A section of the guest only lounge on the third floor, accompanied by a roof top bar area. Creating an exclusive space for only guests. The space is multi-functional, a lounge area during the day to the exclusive booths to be used for private use at night. The roof top bar offers amazing views of the city and a vital connection with the river.
Footage of live renderings as a real scene.
Morning sun with a haze over the lights.
Through the glass onlooking the spire.
Kelvinbridge wide angle.
Design interior with a white marble finish.
Reflections of the neon lights.
Kelvinbridge underside modelled.
Pedestrian underside of Kelvinbridge with crowd.
Late evening stormy weather with a busy street peering into structure.
Concept poster for The Wheatsheaf Hotel and Cook School, which expresses brand ethos and materiality.
An axonometric drawing of The Wheatsheaf, expressing the zoning and spatial arrangement of key spaces.
View from the second floor corridor, looking down through the void onto the entrance and cook school.
Detailing of the cook school, reception and corridor spaces.
A collage of the key design elements of the hotel
Scale 1:150 technical drawing
Initial reception sketches and concept
A visual of the reception
A detailed visual of a reception niche
A visual of what the guest encounters upon arrival
Initial bar and restaurant sketches and concept
A visual of the bar
A visual of bar seating inside the niches
A visual of the stained glass depictions of scenes from Scottish authors' works, assembled as a bar structure, looking through to the restaurant beyond.
Formerly a primary school this building now houses the most cutting edge teenage hub in town. This iconic building in Polloshaws has been totally transformed and brought back to life to serve the younger generation once again.
This ground floor plan reveals the true size of the building which once served 500 pupils.
This section AA cut unfolds the first steps of the users journey. Entering the space they will be greeted by natural light in the atrium which will navigate the users through a dynamic open plan space leading onto different floors to their desired activity.
The atmosphere of the reception has been achieved by bringing the aspect of natural materials and light into the space, making a more welcoming and stylish environment for teenagers.
The design of this former assembly hall/dining space is inspired by the original features such as arch windows and red and white concrete grid ceiling. This space now serves the purpose for the users to meet new friends and enjoy a quick snack either to wait for their scheduled activity session or to just chill.
This space forms the heart of the building. The purpose of the design was to create the connection between all the users attending activity sessions and users just wishing to relax. This has been achieved by removing the first floor ceiling in order to enlarge the space to accommodate the activity pods which are accessed from the first floor.
Along with the floating activity pods the raised grassy area forms one of the main features of this space. This area is designed to interpret the feeling of being outdoors offering different types of seating. Surrounding this area there are also swing seats, hammocks hanging from the ceiling and bean bags. This takes into account the different personalities and needs of each user.
This area offers a comfortable and varied seating space accommodating larger groups. The users can either play instruments or simply listen and enjoy the atmosphere. The timber structure offers privacy from the hammock mezzanine floor above.
The design of this area compared to the rest of the space is more open to provide enough movement whilst playing various games. Bean bags are stored beneath the stairs for easy access for users who wish to take part or watch the games. The mezzanine above also provides a panoramic view taking in all the different dynamics of the floor below.
This front elevation reveals the double-height ceiling of the space and the bold and powerful design is to attract the users attention to encourage them to study.
Ground Floor Plan
Throughout 2019, millions of young people took to the streets to protest for their right to a future. No other year has seen such a rise in awareness on the topic of climate change, with the issue being brought loudly to the foreground by public demand. From February 2019 to early 2020, I documented the climate strikes in Glasgow, Edinburgh, London, and Italy, working closely with the organizations as a volunteer photographer. I focused on the stories as much as on the photography, aiming to crystalize my personal experience of the events by writing in the same way I was doing with the images by shooting. The result is a detailed, firsthand reportage where images and words are tightly connected, currently waiting for a space to be published.
Die-in in Turin, Italy, October 2019. Young people lie on the ground of Via Roma, while a passerby cyclist stops among the bodies and tries to figure out what is happening. A young student walks back and forth in the street reading a Fridays For Future pamphlet with a megaphone. A mum is lying side by side with her two kids, the youngest being barely 3 years old. They check on their mum once every few seconds, then check the others. They’re excited, but they try to stay serious. ‘Like this?’, they ask. [Continues]
Left: On Leap Day 2020, XR Glasgow organized the secondo Blue Wave event of the city. Silent as the rising sea levels, step by step, centimeter by centimeter, just like water does, the Blue Brigade walked slowly from the bridge towards the people gathered in the Clyde Amphitheatre. Then proceeded leading the march through the city center of Glasgow, all the way until Buchanan Street steps. Right: Kelvingrove Museum, 3pm. Kids and parents together under the gigantic skeleton of Dippy the Dinosaur. Grandparents, too. To the sound of a violin, the signal, everybody lay on the floor. Under Dippy's skull, several kids turned around and around holding a sign reading: ‘We Are on the Midst of the Sixth Mass Extinction’. They were silent, the kids. Many were dressed as animals, or with animal masks. Some had dinosaur toys. They lay down for about twenty minutes, holding signs and banners on their chests. The banners were reading: ‘Are we next?’ [Published on The Guardian]
“He had been playing since it all started when they began moving everyone out of the road. When the arrests began he didn't stop. One song after the other, he was accompanied to the sidewalk on one side just to turn back at the last moment and head to the opposite side, back and forth from where the people sitting on the road were waiting to be arrested. A bright sunny day in London, and in the middle of the road he was cheering everyone up, and making the police desperate because who wants a violin to stop playing? Back and forth, eyes fixed on something only he could see, and a rejuvenated smile every time he paused and people clapped for him beyond the police line. Making his difference, one tune at a time.” [Continues]
In June 2019, despite Scotland’s PM Nicola Sturgeon declaring the climate emergency, the Scottish Parliament set the country’s target date to become carbon neutral in 2045. According to the IPCC report, radical change is required before 2030 in order to avoid massive ecological disasters. I spent four days camping in front of the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh with Extinction Rebellion, documenting the actions aimed to raise awareness about the inadequate climate bill and the climate crisis.
“The truth is, there's a new generation rising. It's a generation that is openly questioning the rules that have been set by culture and tradition because these things belong to borders, and they are questioning borders, too. A generation that recognizes its privilege in being born on the lucky side of the planet during the climate crisis, a generation that is willing to give up commodities for equality, and maybe it's not ready to do so, but it will. [...] A generation that understands the importance of saying no, that is often at least bilingual, that's given up trying to explain itself to the adults but has not given up the fight for the world they’re going to inherit from them. You'll find them in the streets, chanting. You'll try and make them feel stupid, to humiliate their naïve goodwill, you'll chatter about their hypocrisy. Game-changers, they are. Because they will listen instead of getting angry, and they'll be ready to correct their mistakes if you're right, and they'll do better. Then they'll look at you and ask: and you, how can you help us?”
Left: Central London, 6am. As part of the strategy or peaceful disruption, XR activists occupied public parks and organised well-structured campsites, with an open kitchen, toilet area, regenerative zones, and assembly tents. Stewarding was coordinated by Extinction Rebellion, while additional police force was monitoring the camp. Right: A teenage girl in the process of being arrested during the protest in Millbank, central London. XR activists are educated on their rights, as well as in non-violent behaviour in case of arrest, before taking any kind of disruptive action. Refusing to move means having to be physically handled by police when carried away.
“They already had everyone move from the road except for those who were staying knowing that they would get arrested. The crowd was singing from the bank of the Thames beyond the police line, when this mother with two children passed through and they run straight to him. Police were busy removing the locked on people from the caravan a few meters away. They had their moment there, in the middle of the road right in front of the tower. I thought about getting closer but I didn't want to listen. That was a private moment and all the press was already filming them from the front. So after this picture I put my camera away and just observed from afar. Eventually the mother came and took them away. As they were leaving, sun shining on the concrete, I see the younger one turn from his mother's arms. Slowly, silently, among all the noise and rush, he blew a kiss to his dad and waved. It was the first moment in five days I had to stop and find my balance again.” [Continues]
Protesters gather in front of the BBC headquarters in central London. A spontaneous rebel assembly takes place, with people from the public taking the microphone and speaking to the crowd. Among the speakers, a former policeman introduces his thoughts with a candid assertion: ‘Some of you may think it is strange to have a police officer involved, but a big part of our job is protecting people’. Accustomed to my home country’s history with police brutality, XR’s relationship with police, regularly questioned within the movement itself, interested me deeply. [Continues]
“It was just a little girl, playing. People watching her with a smile. I took this picture when she finally stopped running, laughing. Then you zoom out, and you see people sitting on the ground on tarpaulins, jackets, cardboard. Zoom out, and you see a roadblock, women and men standing up under the rain, holding banners. One reads, climate struggle = class struggle. There's some singing and someone passing home-baked biscuits around. Zoom out, and there's a city with some disruption going on. A few points where the stream is disturbed, there's honking and some shouting maybe, all these busy lives protesting because they're late, oh they're going to be late. And you zoom out and you see a country busy sorting out a mess that someone wanted and someone else didn't. Pick your year. It could be any, right? But you zoom out, and it's not something you've seen already. Outside the country, up north, ice melting and the oceans growing higher. Draught south and people fleeing, their feet on burning sand, hot air exasperating survival, as if famine and war didn't do their job anyway. You see a big white animal, thick skin and a horn on his nose and that breath he takes, that's the last. And after him a bird, then a swimming creature you don't know the name of, and another bird, and another, and another, and you're there, watching. Zoom out at last and you see a planet spinning and a mass of smoke covering south America because oh, you don't want to see. You really don't want to see. You stop. Maybe you panic. This is too big, right? Just too big. But then you zoom in. And when you zoom in, it's just a little girl, laughing. And you remember who you're doing this for. And you roll up your sleeves, take a picture, and get back to looking for solutions. Whatever it takes.”
A group of school students lead by a young student playing the bagpipe joins the crowd in Kelvingrove Park for the third Global Climate Strike. About 12,000 people participated in the strike, an impressive number if compared to the few hundred of the first strike in February. From Kelvingrove Park, strikers (families, students, elders, workers) marched through the West End and all the way to George Square, in front of the City Council. The youth strikes in Glasgow are autonomously organised by students under the age of 18, who plan the route, the actions, stewarding and police liaison, speeches, and so on.
Since the very start - the now famous ‘Skolstrejk för klimatet’ banner - young people declined the use of a systematic set of visuals and started designing their own banners, placards, and wording. The results fascinated the whole world for their straight-forwardness, wit and very often clever sarcasm. Although the best examples of the strikers’ creativity can often be found in the most simple designs.
How to talk about plastic in a guiltless way? How to adamantly refuse it without being judgemental, how to expose our misusing it without the use of shame? ‘The Age of Plastics’ is a campaign for an imaginary exhibition held in 3048, in a world where plastic is part of a faraway past and its use has to be guessed.
The year is 3048. All plastic production was stopped on Saturday 22nd, February 2020. In 1028 years, the world has changed. Humans survived, but they have little knowledge of how society used to be. They have to guess from what remained. Mostly... plastic.
An awareness campaign providing the context of an imaginary exhibition to show plastic under a different light. Giving up the way we are used to think, we are invited to have a second loot at it with the curious eyes of a plastic-less version of this same planet.
Placed where people have time to stop and read: bus stops, subway boards. Shared online as a form of storytelling, creating expectation, desire to discover the next common object as described by these unbiased people from the future. Exposing our irresponsible use of it, but without blame, without shame. Starting the conversation.
A campaign offering the audience a vision of the world where plastic is seen for its remarkable features and not only its terrifying quantity. Based on a solid research, all the objects chosen are classified for their real composition, and all the facts mentioned or suggested are taken from true statistics.
Telling a story: what’s the real value of the things we are used to throw away. Suggesting that common objects are used by common people. Thus, it is from common people that radical change can be ignited.
As a graduating student at the Glasgow School of Art, I would like to state my support for the Pause or Pay Campaign. Pause or Pay was established to unite studio-based courses and highlight to our HEIs and the UK Governments that the mitigations for our issues due to the pandemic are not yet enough. Find more at www.pauseorpayuk.org / @pauseorpay
Diaspora is a display font representing Italian immigration to Scotland between 1880 and 1920. Indeed, a diaspora emerged to such an extent that the Scot-Italian became recognisable as a fully fledged persona encompassing characteristics of both cultures. Therefore, Diaspora expresses the hybrid identities of Italians who immigrated to Scotland. This is translated by the addition of seven alternates for the letters A, E, M, N, T, U, V and W. To underline the concept of immigration by the means of type-design, the traditional and iconic aspects of lettering from both countries are emphasised. While having their own characteristics, Diaspora’s letters are designed on a single basis structure, helping to create a harmonious set. Each user can develop their own identity of the font using alternates. Diaspora is available on request through our type-foundry website: [www.goodeggstypefoundry.com](www.goodeggstypefoundry.com); or you can drop us an email to [hello@goodeggstypefoundry.com] (mailto:hello@goodeggstypefoundry.com)
GoodEggs Grotesk is the institutional font of the homonymous type foundry. Designed with Alessandro Prepi, the type is once again the result of a deep research of the two designers. The project is inspired by the typeface Venus, released by Bauer, 1907-1914. If on the one hand the font follows the characteristics of a grotesk Apolline and Alessandro had their own take of a grotesk adding the foundry's personnality and principles to it: serious with a touch of friendliness. Letters are designed following the counterparts which are rounded like an egg. Therefore all letters kept friendly curves while still having a modern/neutral grotesk style.
A cookbook gathering recipes and the stories behind them from all over the world. Sharing food and recipes seems to commune people together. This idea is translated into a visual object allowing the reader to discover a culture through its cuisine and directly from a native. Additionally, the book unfolds an array of statements. Stories in the books are generally shared by people away from home either permanently (migrants), temporarily (students) or indirectly (migrants’ children) showing how the migration of people enriches countries. The memories shared around the recipes shows how cuisine is a way to (re)connect to our roots and to feel like home. Food has the power to hold memories as is exemplified by Proust’s madeleine.
A modular display font for parties’ posters.
Designed with course mate Alessandro Prepi, the specimen is printed on newspaper paper on a tabloid format creating a direct connection with their research. Indeed, the two designers researched extensively through library archives, and newspapers were a focal point. The specimen presents the whole project, from the story it tells, to the technical parts of the font right through to examples of the font in use.
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
41% of British women aged 18-36 have received an unsolicited dick pic.1 Through open submissions over the past two years people have been sharing their stories, experiences, and images of cyber flashing, which have been retold and represented through explorations across different media. The project aims to create discourse around this rarely discussed yet prevalent issue, as well as providing a platform for victims to take ownership of their harassment. 1 Smith, M. (2018) YouGov: Four in ten millenials have been sent an unsolicited penis photo
This work may contain graphic imagery, Click to toggle blur.
The website functions as a platform to show all the images, stories and animations made throughout the project, whilst also having sections that provide practical information and direct victims to support services. The design of the main page bombards the audience, playing on ideas of consent. Although the content warning is clear, when exhibited at GSA in October 2019 the work still caused controversy and was censored by senior management. Surprisingly for an institution where one of the core values is ‘disruption’, the project has often faced knockback from staff, who have encouraged a more metaphorical approach. This has called into question how much influence the male gaze still has on today’s society – even within the art school.
This work may contain graphic imagery, Click to toggle blur.
At the start of the project the images were developed in different media, considering whether presentation of the work through traditional methods of making would elevate the subject matter. Throughout the project theories of art and pornography were examined and challenged, both from the artist herself and her wider audience. Etching and printing the unsolicited dick pics immortalised them from throwaway, transient images into works of art. The traditional and highbrow status of the medium instantly elevates the work. Working on small individual plates allowed multiple images to be printed alongside each other, alluding to a carefully curated photo frame.
This work may contain graphic imagery, Click to toggle blur.
The embroidered pieces draw instant connotations with feminine and tactile craft: the soft threads and muted colours encourage the viewer to touch the work, and create a tension between the message and the medium. Unsolicited dick pics are often sent via social media platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat, where they disappear once viewed. In contrast to this, the permanent and labour-intensive processes of etching and embroidery preserve what we can assume were intended as temporary records of sexual harassment.
This work may contain graphic imagery, Click to toggle blur.
Taking the work back into the digital sphere referenced the origin of the photos, as well as creating a digital campaign. On The Bus is deliberately made to be viewed on a phone – the same device where images are usually received. Instagram has regularly censored the project work, even though it isn’t in breach of the community guidelines. This is part of a wider issue that sees the platform dictating what sexual content is deemed ‘appropriate’ based on patriarchal ideals and misogyny. Interestingly, there are rarely consequences for the men sending unsolicited dick pics via the platform.
This work may contain graphic imagery, Click to toggle blur.
Drawing was always the starting point throughout the project, with sketchbooks acting as an archive of all the submitted images. Friends and complete strangers shared their varied stories with complete honesty, trusting in the artist as confidante.
This work may contain graphic imagery, Click to toggle blur.
In her stand-up act ‘Nanette’, comedian Hannah Gadsby discusses Pablo Picasso’s misogyny, deriding his cubism as “putting a kaleidoscope filter on your dick; painting flesh vases for your dick flowers”. After initially considering what these would look like through a series of drawings and prints these ceramic “flesh vases” were made. The forms represent conventional Western beauty standards, with the male vase deliberately larger and more dominant. By removing the head, and turning the body into an inanimate, functional object, the human form is reduced to purely aesthetic qualities.
Illustrations for a publication based on a text by artist David Roeder.
Royal Park School was bulldozed by Leeds City Council in 2014, after almost a decade of campaigning and fundraising to turn it into a community hub. The space has been empty ever since. The work aimed to challenge the traditional ideas of a comic, and see whether it could successfully function without the inclusion of any characters or written narrative. The use of repetition and aspect-to-aspect transitions act as visual prompts for the reader to infer their own meanings and storyline.
As a graduating student from GSA I would like to state my support for the Pause or Pay campaign. Please read their full manifesto on their website: pauseorpayuk.org
The Empty Vessel series, a collection of representational vessels, visualises and embodies the way grief takes from the individual and how we build around the space left behind. Clean white architectural forms become projected aspects of self, deemed appropriate for outside consumption. Inside an absence is present. The absence is the embodiment of grief, carried internally, its weight becomes perceptible in the physicality of the vessels. These corporeal forms become the embodiment of self creation in the face of the void. As empty vessels we traverse the spaces we occupy as representations of formed bodies. The ceramic forms relate to one another, standing alone but remaining interconnected in their expressions, just as grief isolates the individual whilst injecting them into a fundamental shared aspect of the human experience.
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
The Presence of Absence collection continues on from The Empty Vessel series. Following the journey of moving past grief and the absence left within. These vessels have complementary forms that slot together, completing the exterior and creating a whole form. Striving to create a perfect aesthetic resolve, painting a mirage of a formed and complete psyche. The absence that grief maintains as a presence in our psyche, extends outwards and has not only emotional implications but also material and social ones. The void reshapes and redefines our reality. As individual pieces each still occupy the role of The Empty Vessel but when put together they contain the absence within, allowing their external qualities to find a full form. The addition of the blue tubular appendages reference the unaffected personality, the raw emotional state of the individual. They hold close in embrace the exterior of the white slab vessels. They act in support of the affected form, adding a further dimensionality to the perceived complete object.
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
As part of the developmental stage a series of experiments were carried out to explore the creation of content through emotional engagement, intending the designs to be emergent not prescriptive. Material and visual experiments were utilised to push the themes of physicality throughout the work further. They maintained a degree of form to continue the idea of a present absence. A high degree of abstraction was involved in the design, to retain some ambiguity and a vague suggestion of the ideas. This allows the viewer to shape their own emotional response to the pieces more freely without outside dictation.
AI_Face examines the consequences of Artificial Intelligence on our perception of beauty.
A coming of age story for generation Z.
A series of images reflecting the trials and tribulations of life as a teenage girl.
A comic book inspired by the stories behind the famous Chinese formal garden.
Cyber sexual harassment is a topic that is extremely common but generally ignored by the wider public. It may seem easy to dismiss as something relatively harmless and without consequence, but the feeling of disgust when experiencing harassment is indeed true. The four booklets draw on four real experiences of sexual harassment on the Internet. By using a distinct visual language to express the negative impact of harassment, the work reflects social realities and engages the audience through empathy.
Given that Chinese television dramas reflect the collective consciousness and mainstream values of Chinese society. This project aims to explore how female characters are perceived and how they evolve under different social, cultural, economic and political norms. Particularly what is deeply entrenched and what is considered the female ideal.
“Black Box” is a science fiction short story written by American writer Jennifer Egan. It was published in an unusual serialized format. Over 9 days from May 25, 2012, a series of tweets were posted on the Twitter account of The New Yorker magazine. Visually, the layout and use of numbers is unusual, referencing poetry more than prose.
We are now in an infantilized society. People no longer regard "wisdom" and "mature" as the goals pursued by adults, but indulge in the illusion of being a cute baby forever, and practice this fantasy in life. The "old" generation can't understand us, the times are constantly subdivided, the density of the generation gap is getting bigger and bigger, adults refuse to grow up, and with the constantly updated secret language, we only have the same generation (each is a kindergarten level student) Communicate. I want to ironically express the absurdity and horror of Early childhood society, and letting people reflect on the terrible consequences of this.
Arguably, we are now in an infantilized society. People no longer regard the pursuit of “wisdom” and “maturity” as goals, we indulge in the illusion of being a cute baby forever, and practice this fantasy in life. The "older" generations can't understand us, the generation gap is getting bigger and bigger, adults refuse to grow up, and with our constantly updated secret language, we only have the same generation (each is a kindergarten level student) to communicate with. I want to ironically express the absurdity and horror of a society based in early childhood and question the terrible consequences of this.
In the project Fanzine, I tried to compile 6 independent bands in China into zine and made 6 booklets. The desire is to exchange Chinese independent music culture with British culture. At the same time, explore the visual language expression of music in graphic design.
Research on the conceptual pillars of graphic design, documented in form of an 8,000 word essay that includes an interview with the GSA Com Des professors. The information collected from the interview was transformed into ‘data sculptures on wheels’, visualising each of the interviewee’s opinions on contemporary graphic design. The data was placed on wheels to allow for interactivity usually only reserved for digital spaces. For more project details and images, please visit www.zzzzarko.com.
A data installation consisting of a series of helium balloons positioned in space and colour-coded to convey information. Participants were asked to report their daily motivational levels scaled 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest) for 10 consecutive days. The data was translated into helium balloons communicating the given values both through their color and position in space. A postcard decoding the data values was given to the audience. For more project details and images, please visit www.zzzzarko.com.
A didactic, interactive information design piece consisting of an infographic board, three-dimensional representation of data made out of wood, and an instructional booklet designed to lead the audience through the exercise. The 3D Data project is an inquiry into the field of information visualisation, aiming to translate data into a physical object you can interact with and learn from. For more project details and images, please visit www.zzzzarko.com.
A typeface that re-imagines the Latin alphabet into a logographic-alphabetic hybrid system, communicating meaning both through individual letters as well as the unique shapes that they create when combined into words. The project was inspired by the Japanese Kanji as well as Korean Hangul script. The typeface design was based on the traditional ‘shoji’ door grid, thus later translated into wooden sculptures. Developed as part of the exchange to the Tokyo University of the Arts. For more project details and images, please visit www.zzzzarko.com.
A sculptural poster series developed as part of the research into the effect of three-dimensionality on the traditionally two-dimensional field of graphic design. The posters are made out of over 500 laser-cut acrylic pieces that were hand-assembled and manually attached to painted wooden backgrounds. The topic of the posters are the ‘salon’ meetings that the Com Des Master’s students have organised to exchange ideas. For more project details and images, please visit www.zzzzarko.com.
A series of found product design objects that were transformed to express the functionality of graphic design by communicating data through their form. Each object was altered through color and typography to inform the viewer about statistical information, helping them imagine outcomes and possibilities of the data shared. The objects were measured, marked and spray painted manually. The typography was vinyl cut and applied by hand. For more project details and images, please visit www.zzzzarko.com.
A series of typographic sculptures that communicate meaning through their form, based on the Japanese logographic Kanji written language. Building on Joseph Kosuth's 'One and three chairs' & Eric Ku's 'CHAIR', the project uses the form of product design to express communication design, translating meaning of Kanji characters beyond Japan through their appearance. The work was developed as part of the exchange to the Tokyo University of the Arts. For more project details and images, please visit www.zzzzarko.com.
A series of sculptural typographic work that aim to visually express abstract thought processes often employed in design thinking such as ‘ideation’ or ‘streamlining’. The sculptures were created by laser-cutting wood into letterforms, and manually assembling them into abstract narratives. The created objects continue on the exploration of ‘type as image’ by using the unique interaction of sculpture and space that changes with different viewpoints to tell a visual story. For more project details and images, please visit www.zzzzarko.com.
A series of isometric Kanji illustrations that follow the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions' guide to recognising fake news, developed as an homage to the Japanese designer Shigeo Fukuda famous both for his activist designs, as well as his love for optical illusions. Each keyword was translated into Japanese, illustrated using an isometric grid and paired with an abstract illustration connecting the elements into a whole. Developed as part of the exchange to the Tokyo University of the Arts. For more project details and images, please visit www.zzzzarko.com.
Shenzhen is one of the largest and fastest-growing city in China. Shenzhen had a population of only 310,000 in 1979, and now the number has reached 20 million, showing a 65-fold increase, while Shenzhen's GDP has increased by 12000 times from 196 million in 1979 to 2.4 trillion. Yet, in 2019, the largest urban village in Shenzhen was demolished through a renovation project. As the city is now rebuilt and restructured, will the urban villages survive? A lot of people come to the villages and a lot of people leave; it is a transient space. Whilst living in the one of urban villages in Shenzhen for two months, I took photographs, spoke with others living there and recorded daily life. Some told me they would go home this year, and some said they wanted to earn more money and stay for another year or two. Many people come here searching for something. High house prices make the majority of outsiders choose to live in urban villages such as this. While the location is excellent and the prices cheap. the houses in urban villages have very little living space and the environment is very poor. I wanted to know why people come here and what are their dreams. My publication acts as a document for the people I met in a small corner of the urban village.
My exploration of using different materials and narratives in Shenzhen Urban Village Project.
During the two years I have lived in Glasgow, I have been to the rooms of many Chinese friends. Whilst we live in similar student apartments, each room is very different showing the inhabitants character, hobbies and life state. These rooms carry important social function. Access to a individual’s room can be a more direct and in-depth understanding of a person. I chose to depict Chinese student to explore the Chinese student living experience, which starts from the first day to the end. Before the COVID-19 situation become truly serious, I visited the rooms of 23 Chinese students, interviewed them and made some observe drawings of their rooms. It helps me build up a connection with others. A lot of Chinese students don't integrate into the local study and social life, I questioned many Chinese students about their lives and social situation, my finding showed that most want to communicate with international students, but there are many individual and complex reasons stopping them from sharing deep feelings and emotions. Now, many Chinese students are no longer residing in Glasgow and have returned to China making it difficult to continue my research. I hope this project can be a small bridge to share some of the emotional stories of my Chinese student community. While this project has not been completed, the drafts and story line continue to be developed. Here is a selection of works in their draft stages. As the project develops I will update this website page and its contents.
In the last two months, I have been isolated in Glasgow alone. As we’re all unable to go outside, I can only draw the views outside my window. I watched the sky and buildings, and I found the clouds and sky are never same, they are changing every moment and each day, I record them. I seldom watched the same scene again and again hadn’t realised these daily and very simple things could be so beautiful. Drawing these views has immersed me in peace and removed my anxiety. I hope to draw these views and record this special moment, when I return to China, I can also take this memory home. And I do hope to share it.
In these drypoint works, I explored the possibilities of changing the texture of the works, which can make a special atmosphere. May 2019
Selections from my quick and improvised daily collage work, July 2019
This part includes a little series named a little lonely man and my exploration of narratives using screen-based colours.
Selections from a series of sketchbooks, 2018-2020
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Since March 2019 there have been a series of protests in Hong Kong. And media outlets provide very disparate narratives of their motivations. Because of these reports many people's opinion on these protests have been extremely polarized. The book collects news headlines from Pro-China media and Pro-Protester media throughout the protests offering readers an opportunity to make a comparison with different depictions of the same subject. At the same time, it highlights the influence of media and its role surrounding controversial events causing polarization.
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
This photo book is an experiment which trying to the possibility of physical books. Compare with digital reading, different books can provide readers with different touching feeling by their material. As the most important sensation of human, I think touching could be an interesting factor to be considered during the book design and helps the emotional expressing. I made my photos in this photo book. The photo that I selected was taken at the moment that I felt depressed and lonely. I hope the book itself can also show the fragile inside of me. I made plicated foil cover board as the book cover and use very fragile tissue paper inside. The contrast of touching is conspicuous which can prompt reading experience and expressing the emotion.
The project was an exploration of the possibility of physical books. Compared with digital reading, physical books provide readers with different material experience. Touch could be considered the most emotional sensation of a human being and I believe touching is an essential factor to be considered during book design to help the emotional expression. The photos selected were taken at moments I felt depressed and lonely and the book aims to convey a fragility inside of me on those occassions. The foil cover board cover and the use extremely fragile tissue paper gives a contrast when handling prompting an unusual reading experience and expressing further emotions.
“Black Box” is a science fiction short story by Jennifer Egan. The story is in the form of "mental dispatches" from a spy in the near future and was emanated on Twitter meaning each chapter is very short due to the platform’s limitations. The project was an exercise in both matching layout to features in the story with only black and white printing applied to convey tension and coldness throughout the story and the choice of decoration and illustration helps provide an immersive reading experience
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Presentation poster
Rooftop tents have almost certainly changed the way that we camp, and the benefits of sleeping on top of your car are clear. However, when it comes to the design of what is currently on the market, most are expensive, heavy, and over engineered.
With the camping industry set to grow at an increased rate over the next five years, and with millennials predicted to make up a large proportion of this growth, the opportunity for a lower cost, simpler alternative, that can be easily stored within smaller living spaces, is clear.
Nook is a rooftop tent for nomadic, adventurous people, that can be attached to the roof of any car. By means of a simple, reductive design, using low-cost and lightweight materials, the modular structure can be fully dismantled to occupy a much smaller footprint when not in use.
VENTRAL facilitates the improvement of breathing pattern retraining during sport for increased cycling and rowing performance. Many cyclists and rowers do not breathe optimally during sport. By taking longer, deeper breaths the athlete’s performance can improve, however this can be hard to implement due to other skills in these sports requiring more focus and attention. VENTRAL gathers data from cadence sensors and delivers the athlete with a real time mindful breathing alert through vibrations to the chest. The athlete synchronises their breathing to this vibration rhythm and performs better, with the potential to improve their power output by up to 3.2%.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a lifelong condition, which affects how a person communicates with and relates to other people, as well as how they experience the world around them. Meltdown and shutdown are intense emotional response to “triggers”, which could lead to long-term mental health. Communicare aims to provide an effective meltdown and shutdown prevention system for autistic children through modular 3-lead ECG monitoring and stress analysis. It connects the ECG wearables to the caregivers’ devices, allowing them to detect the upcoming meltdown and shutdown, in order to provide the right support at the right time.
Communicare consists of 3 ECG modules, worn on both right and left wrists, and the right hip. These ECG modules communicate through Bluetooth connection, forming a 3-lead ECG setup. This setup is used, because it increases the overall accuracy of the product. It enables in-depth cardiac analysis, since ECG features such as HRV and ectopic beat are linked to the autonomous nervous system, which is triggered by the flight or fight response. In other words, stress can affect our ECG activity.
The ECG modules then send the ECG data to the Communicare application, which comes in both desktop and mobile forms. The application allows the caregivers (mainly teachers and parents) to monitor the child’s current stress level. On the wristband itself, the LEDs are shown, acting as a visual cue for the passer-by (who does not have the Communicare app). Overall, the product enables the detection of upcoming meltdown and shutdown of an autistic child.
The silicone straps are interchangeable, so that the user can choose different strap designs to their liking. It is secured through the watch strap pin, which is shaped like a puzzle piece to symbolise and empower autism. –This aspect is based on the interviews conducted with the user group.
The bigger picture kit consists of a river sampling kit that allows the user to take water samples from their local rivers; and a microplastics analysis kit that allows them to test this sample for plastics. Freshwater environments vary greatly ,due to human and non-human influence and because of this so too do the citizen access points, It was essential that the kit could be used safely resulting in the development of a bridge and bank deploying method. The materials were chosen using CES analysis thus minimise the negative social and environmental impact of the materials and manufacture, coupled with a renting business model, creates a sustainable product.
I started this project by looking into how societies and individuals interact and relate to rivers as an example of our unbalanced relationships with ecological systems. I choose this example due to the breadth and depth at which rivers have and do cross through societies. My research developed into gaining an understanding of how river health is defined, measured and the current threats to freshwater ecology. I found through a range of interviews, river visits and literature that comparison of rivers under analysis to rivers (or models) unaffected by human interaction is essential to understanding river health (Milne. Ian, SEPA, 2019, Karr, 1999). Also, that as other pollution levels are decreasing micro-plastics pollution has been increasing at an alarming rate within rivers having a deadly impact on the freshwater ecosystem of which the extent is not known.
The first iteration of prototypes was based on the manta net/trawl - a method of allowing river water to pass through netting to capture both fragments and fibres - commonly used to sample microplastics in freshwater. The popularity of this method is evident - a 2017 paper reviewing microplastic freshwater systems sampling methods reported 50% use (Li et al., 2018). This however did not pick up plastics in part due to the resistance of the net and the structure in the water, which led to the idea generation and testing of a pump that would pull the water up faster than the speed of the flow therefore removing the resistance and positive hydraulic pressure within the inlet. When samples where analysed it was seen that there was plastic suspended in the sediment.
I performed lab analysis of the river samples taken using prototypes to ensure the scientific weight of the data collected and to test the user experience of analysis. The results from this were shocking, even after reading round the issue and having an understanding of the problem, testing local rivers that I have an emotional connection with was deeply upsetting. Finding an abundance of micro and nano plastics in a rural glen with no settlements in the river basin suggests that these plastics are well established in the water system while a test in the River Kelvin (results above) show the dramatic existent of the pollution.
The ergonomic aspects (anthropometrics, physiology and psychology) of the design were considered in detail through out the design to ensure that the whole user journey of this citizen science kit and surrounding system where safe, enjoyable and fulfilling to the users. These aspects where tested through interviews and prototype tests such as the one seen above where the kit was taken to Curiosity Live in the Glasgow Science Centre an event attended by 500 school children where it received positive feedback and enthusiastic engagement from students and teachers.
A CAD representation of the flexIV device in situ in the dorsal site
A CAD representation of the accordion bend featured in the flexIV
A CAD representation of the accordion bend featured in the flexIV
A still from the prototype in action presenting the advantages of the flexIV deviceA still from the prototype in action presenting the advantages of the flexIV device including the accordion bend and the silicone adhesive butterfly wings.
Prototype exhibiting the stability of the flexIV device
Prototype exhibiting the flexibility of the flexIV device
A poster of the flexIV device explaining its key features and user journey
An in depth description of the administration of the flexIV device
Large draping necklace. Etched, press formed and attached using 3 different types of connections.
Commissions Available.
This etched and press formed copper piece can transfer into various forms of adornment. A necklace has been depicted within this image, however, is open to interpretation.
This sketchbook development page details samples and patterns.
These images detail various compositions of body adornment.
Sketches produced to show potential compositions that can be transferred to metal.
Paper development translating into bronze and precious white metal castings.
This illustration translates castings into adornment. The individual hand-made casts are connected by "d" shaped chain, allowing the pieces to fall comfortably down/around the body.
Precious white metal etched and press formed earrings
Precious white metal components for adornment
Precious metal components creating a large necklace to flow around the body
Digital illustrations detailing various earring designs (front and back)
White metal etched with pattern and press formed, together using 3 different types of connections.
Large draping necklace.
Inspriation
Sketch
Work in progress
Necklace_ silver with gold leaf
Necklace_ silver with gold leaf
Bengle_silver
Cylinder_silver
Necklace_oxidised silver with gold leaf / sketch of back side
Sketch_rings
Work in progress_ ring_oxidised silver with gold leaf
Brooch, Sustainable cork, laser rubber, steel pins, 80mm x 30mm
Price: £POA
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Sustainable cork, acrylic. 70mm x 60mm x 28mm.
Plaster, synthetic sponge. 65mm x 35mm
Digitally developed shape palette
Sampling natural and synthetic dyes
Sustainable cork, hand carved, 70mm x 60mm x 28mm
Digital mock up
Example of one digitally prepared surface pattern. Acrylic components interact seamlessly.
Digital mock up
Detachable brooch, sustainable cork, acrylic, steel pins. Surface pattern hand drawn using pyrography method. 105mm x 65mm x 20mm
Mixed media, Size: 200*200*300mm
Price: ££500
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Precious white metal (could be hallmarked), Size: double-straw candlestick 77*40*263mm; single-straw candlestick 39*72*260mm
Price: ££395; £260
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Precious white metal (could be hallmarked), Size: double-straw candlestick 77*40*263mm; single-straw candlestick 39*72*260mm
Price: ££395; £260
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Mixed media, Inspired by people's habit of licking yogurt lids
Price: ££630
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
3D model, Rendering in silver and gold plating
3D model, Mixed media
Ideas in the process of developing Objects of Human-object No.5
Precious white metal (could be hallmarked), plastic bottle(replaceable), Size: 73*73*112mm (without bottle)
Price: ££790
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Precious white metal (could be hallmarked), Size: 73*73*112mm
Price: ££790
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
3D model, Rendering in silver
Interesting Shadows Inspired my Initial research
Creating shadow inspired utilitarian objects.
The notion of deconstructed vessels; re-constructed with laser cuttings.
Copper spun vessels; re-formed and dissected.
Silver vessel Design
Samples and Sketches of vessels
Thinking through making models. Inspired by Parametric design.
Set of three vessels. Silver, Perspex and Wire. Designs created using parametric processes and showing the evolution of traditional and modern technologies.
Laser cut Perspex and Jesmonite samples. Exploring Parametric Aesthetic.
Silver Textured Vessels. Designs created using parametric processes.
Perspex Sculptures and Vases
Price: ££35 - £40
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Completed Music box
Pair of Rings to form the tumbler of the music box
Rendered design for music box
Rendered design for music box
Rendered design for music box
Rendered design for music box
Precious White Metal
Price: £480
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Corrugated, Oxidised and White Baked Silver
18ct Gold and Silver Brooch
Copper and vitreous enamel, 8.5cm to 10cm diameter
Copper and vitreous enamel, 9cm diameter x 6cm
Copper and vitreous enamel, 8.5cm to 10cm diameter
Copper and vitreous enamel, 5cm diameter x 1.5cm
Copper and vitreous enamel, 5cm diameter x 1.5cm, 8.5cm diameter x 6cm
Copper and vitreous enamel, 5cm diameter x 1.5cm
White precious metal (can be Hallmarked) 10.5cm x 9cm x 6.5cm // Copper and vitreous enamel,9.5cm diameter x 6cm
Copper and vitreous enamel, 5cm diameter x 1.5cm
Copper and vitreous enamel, 11cm diameter x 8cm, 5cm diameter x 1.5cm
Copper and vitreous enamel, 9cm diameter x 6cm, 11.5cm diameter x 11cm
A1 Print
Sketchbook Pages
Anorak Visualisation
A1 Print
Paper Drawings
Youth Visualisation
A1 Print
Digital Collages
Jogger Visualisations
Print Manipulation on Technical Fabric
Samples of Irish freehand machine embroidery and fabric manipulation
Experimenting with primary research photos printed onto acetate and overlaid to create rich colour and texture.
A selection of drawings and collages using painted and found paper to translate my primary research.
A selection of my research into colour inspired from manipulating the acetate photo collages. The colour palettes attempt to translate the blurring and merging of colours in landscape.
A sample experimenting with the technique of shadow work on the digital embroidery machine. The design is inspired by rock formations in the Outer Hebrides.
A sample experimenting with the technique of shadow work on the digital embroidery machine, in a different colour way.
A selection of development samples exploring form and texture in landscape. Techniques such as shadow work, fabric manipulation and smocked sublimation print.
Some samples exploring the abundance of moss textures in landscape.
Visualisations of a range of samples imagined as statement sleeves of garments.
A sample sewn on the Irish freehand machine exploring moss and lichen textures found on rocks in the Outer Hebrides.
Primary reseach
Exploration of shadows using 3D drawings
Development sampling
Development sampling
Embellished samples
Sample visulisation
Sample visulisation
Pleated sample
Digital Image. 2019.
Digital Image. 2019.
Digital Image. 2019.
3x Backlit Film Print on Electroluminescent Light Panel & 4x Speakers. 2020.
3x Backlit Film Print on Electroluminescent Light Panel, 4x Speakers & 2x Slide Projection. 2020.
Slide Projection. 2020. Text by Patrick Süskind – excerpts from the novel Perfume.
Resin & Acetate Print. 2019.
Price: £500
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Resin & Acetate Print. 2019.
Price: £500
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Resin & Acetate Print. 2019.
Price: £500
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
3x Resin & Acetate Print. 2020.
Digital Photograph, 2020
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Photographic Documentation of Cocktail, 2020
Digital Photograph, 2020
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Photographic Documentation of Cocktail, 2020
Digital Photograph, 2020
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Silver Gelatin Print
1.1: Having grown up on a farm, agricultural life is an intrinsic part of my approach to the land. Throughout this past year, I have returned to the landscape of my adolescence, making images that speak, not of an unblemished landscape, but one that is worked, cultivated and bears the traces of those who live upon it. In these images, I wanted to evoke a conflict between freedom and isolation - its capacity for healing, as well as the dynamic of violence it inhabits.
Silver Gelatin Print
1.2: Within my work, motifs of agricultural rural life are evoked in pursuit of a question of identity. The notion of agriculture, in itself, seems to me to represent an exertion of control over an entity which is always necessarily changing - aways in flux. A life, then, spent at the mercy of the land, the weather and the ecosystem which comprises it, goes beyond ‘pathetic fallacy’ in my work. It was, rather, a fact of my upbringing and, as such, it is these same elements which coalesce, in my work, around ideas of trauma, sexual revelation and the formation of adolescent identity.
Silver Gelatin Print
Digital Image
2.1: In this series of 3D-modelled images, I looked at mechanisms of entrapment - specifically, wasp traps. Commonplace in farmhouse kitchens in late summer, these objects evoke a question of culpability. Understood from either perspective, the figures on either end of this system can be considered perpetrators or victims of violence
Digital Image
2.2: I have understood the figure of the wasp, that of a supposed pest species, in terms of my own queerness. Its treatment as a nuisance, as well as the effort towards containment, is represented in these traps, their very form alluding to the physiology of the wasp, as well as to erotic imagery.
Digital Image
2.3: These works are not presented in physical form, but rather as designs. I am interested in objects which pre-empt creation, delivering an emphasis on the conception of an object or system, tying the work more closely to the hand of its author. In this instance, the conception of the work - the effort to bring it into being - is a reflection of the artistic impulse to define and conclude upon an entity.
Video (Still)
3.1: Beginning with a script, this work tracks the becoming of a theatre play through documentation of its rehearsal. The story follows that of a horseman who is killed in battle, and whose saddle comes to life in order to exact revenge for its ill-treatment.
Excerpt from Script
3.2: The narrative is based on the Japanese myth of Tsukumogami, or “tools-spectres”. Within these tales, functional, inanimate objects inherit spiritual agency following maltreatment by their owners. Following their freedom, however, the spectres begin to enact their own malevolence, undoing our sympathy for them. This same trope of magical-becoming is prevalent in western culture in examples such as Charles Perrault’s “Peau d’Âne” and Aardman’s “Wallace and Gromit: The Wrong Trousers”.
Video (Still)
3.3: In bringing consciousness and animacy to the inert saddle, I wanted to tie its functionality to an idea of imprisonment. While the saddle is not the victim nor the perpetrator of entrapment (each role, in turn, embodied by the characters of the Rider and the Horse), it represents the tool, and, therefore, an ambiguous position in this dynamic of culpability.
Video (Still)
Excerpt from Script
Video (Still)
3.4: Working with performers, roles are not assigned to particular actors. Instead, various figures act out scenes repeatedly with changing roles, the video cut so as to fragment the narrative of the play. The conflict of the play loops back on itself endlessly, denying the viewer of the resolution that theatre normally would bring.
Performance (Documentation)
4: In this collaboration with Rosie Trevill, made for the exhibition ‘Hopelessly Devoted’ (The Garment Factory, June 2019), we presented a performance work, utilising a script written between the two of us. The performance passes through a series of movements as we operate a handmade rope-making machine, reciting our text as we do so. The rope that we produced during the performance, as well as the words that we spoke, reflect a dichotomy between something that bonds and something that binds.
49,5 x 32 cm photo polymer, intaglio print, 2020
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
49,5 x 32 cm photo polymer, intaglio print, 2020
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
51 x 67,5 cm embossment print, 2019
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
31 x 44,5 cm embossment print, 2019
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
33 x 70,5 cm digital collage print, 2020
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
38,9 x 57 cm digital Inkjet print, 2019
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
25,5 x 34 cm intaglio print, 2019
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
100 x 152 cm digital inkjet print, 2019
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
100 x 152 cm digital inkjet print, 2019
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
70 x 210 cm digital inkjet print, 2020
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Alternative Guide for Walking responds to the outdoors as a space to discuss identity politics and community-based making. The project resulted in a publication, which included photographic and written work, produced both independently and collaboratively, whilst walking between Arrochar and Inveruglas. Each outcome included in the publication was made in response to a series of guidelines written by the group before the walk, which provided construct and intentions for making whilst walking. The overall project focused on providing new narratives and removing old preconceptions surrounding walking, forming a new outlook towards our environments and community groups.
Price: £on request
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Alternative Guide for Walking responds to the outdoors as a space to discuss identity politics and community-based making. The project resulted in a publication, which included photographic and written work, produced both independently and collaboratively, whilst walking between Arrochar and Inveruglas. Each outcome included in the publication was made in response to a series of guidelines written by the group before the walk, which provided construct and intentions for making whilst walking. The overall project focused on providing new narratives and removing old preconceptions surrounding walking, forming a new outlook towards our environments and community groups.
Price: £ on request
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Black & white digitally printed 40 pages publication, perfect bound with soft cover, 12 x 20.5cm. A collaboration with Jess Hay, Sofie Keller and Silke Zapp. Originally presented at the Lunchtime Gallery, 2020. Writing within set guidelines and whilst producing photographic imagery forms new variables in language compared to writing freely. The text included within this page is a response to the following guideline: ‘When the space allows it, each split off and take as many steps as you feel necessary. Find a space for yourself and write a reflection on your surroundings.’ This pocket-sized guide has been designed to be recreated by others, which includes the guidelines towards the end of the book, so that others are encouraged to reconsider new forms of walking. This collaboration is a continuing project, with its next iteration being a public walk that invites others to walk with us and further expand the conversation.
Price: £ on request
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
A bare hand lifts to wipe screen-printed words from a glass surface with saliva as the glass swings back and forth, leaving a murky cloud of ink. Within this short moving image, the easy removal of language, memory and the fragility in emotion are each contemplated. With a strong focus on the layout and surface of the text, the flat perspective seen in the work forms a midway between a written or photographic work and a sculpture.
Silicone cast antlers, 23 x 63cm. These antlers cast in silicone lack the structural integrity of their porcelain counterparts, placeholder for a power of sorts i, creating a clear juxtaposition that reflects the removal of power, and fragility. Considered within this are the themes of gender politics, hunting, and ritualism.
A collaboration with Sean Kemp, consisting of a 20 minute performance and a sculptural installation at the Garment Factory, as part of the group show Hopelessly Devoted, 2019. Surrounding the ritual creation of a rope, Ropewalk is a dialogue focusing on the dynamics of power and migration. This work foregrounds the process of traditional rope-making methods, demonstrating the act of making as an act of healing. The movements constructing the rope are accompanied by spoken word and throughout both actions, the concepts of constraint, bonds and navigation are discussed.
A collaboration with Sean Kemp, consisting of a 20 minute performance and a sculptural installation at the Garment Factory, as part of the group show Hopelessly Devoted, 2019. Surrounding the ritual creation of a rope, Ropewalk is a dialogue focusing on the dynamics of power and migration. This work foregrounds the process of traditional rope-making methods, demonstrating the act of making as an act of healing. The movements constructing the rope are accompanied by spoken word and throughout both actions, the concepts of constraint, bonds and navigation are discussed.
Black vinyl lettering, 2 x 13cm. Alongside the live performance, Ropewalk included a series of site specific installations of vinyl lettering. Throughout the building, a series of numbered swallows were placed in unsuspecting places, such as bathroom sinks, stairwells and lifts. The swallows are an indication and reflection of the script performed, to which the act of swallowing and the bird in migration are two pivotal motifs.
Screen-printed textiles, each 74 x 270cm. Scripts, or manifestos is a five part series following a longer exploration of displaying language. The works are made to be activated by viewers, through being read aloud and turned on a hand built metal wringer, which allows the text to be read from either side by two viewers. Within this work, there is a consideration towards how language develops when read together, compared to being read alone. This is pertinent to the critique of broken systems, both within institutions and throughout political hierarchies, included in the text. The language reflects upon personal experiences as well as a universal human condition, written over a ten month period. It has developed through other forms of printed mediums and sound works.
As a graduating student at the Glasgow School of Art, I would like to state my support for the Pause or Pay Campaign. Please read the manifesto here: www.pauseorpayuk.org
2019, Giclée Print 60 x 45cm, Edition 1/5 Framed
Price: £Contact for price
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
2020, Giclée Print 60 x 45cm, Edition 1/5
Price: £Contact for price
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
2020, Giclée Print 60 x 45cm, Edition 1/5
Price: £Contact for price
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
2019, Giclée Print 64 x 85cm, Edition 1/5 Framed
Price: £Contact for price
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
2019, Giclée Print 60 x 45cm, Edition 1/5
Price: £Contact for price
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
2019, Giclée Print 60 x 45cm, Edition 1/5
Price: £Contact for price
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Stallan-Brand, Glasgow March - April 2020
'Gaps between Gaps' Exhibition
Price: £Contact for Price
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Randomly generated worlds coded in Python
A collection of work from the simulated exhibition - a result of no degree show. This work consists of a dreamlike sequence, following the movement and migration of birds to light and freedom. The thinking comes from deep subconscious exploration which happens as we sleep. Satellites that roam the Earth’s orbit, pick apart our lives image by image but the thought of constantly being watched does not keep us up at night. To be free from watchings, but to be a watcher myself…the contradiction keeps me up at night.
Plaster cast hand. Wire and gum strip bird model. 2020.
Price: £Available on request.
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Using small technologies to relate our experience beyond normal conventions. Being watched and being aware - how does the viewer respond? Captivated by our own digital reflection, yet we seek relief from digitisation. Consumed by the constant pressure of technology and our need to compete for speed, when we are confronted by our inclusion in this habit, we slow down. Nature of the human condition, evolution through the digital age. [The camera was to be hung in a model bird, flying above the degree show space, viewers being watched as they enter the room. Yet to be realised.]
Printed publication. 2020.
Price: £Available on request.
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Chalk on blackboard. 2020.
Price: £Available on request.
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Drawings on cartridge paper. 2020.
Price: £Available on request.
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Billions of years ago, two black holes collided. Each thirty times the mass of our sun, and releasing fifty times more energy than all the stars in the universe, in a fraction of a second, two black holes were overcome by colossal gravitational pull, forcing collision. Releasing gravitation waves that raced across the Universe for billions of years, we recorded their frequency. The sound was small and quiet, but distinct. It sounded as though a bird had chirped. Is this a message from the Universe? Hand embroidery. 2019.
Price: £Available on request.
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Chalk drawings on pavement. Amsterdam. 2019.
Price: £Available on request.
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
An adapted degree show proposal for the simulated exhibition. Work produced during quarantine, without a studio, in my flat.
Degree show proposal, yet to be realised.
The sea is here, still (printed on pearl white paper, a diagonal line drawn with pencil). This is one of the examples of how the piece has evolved. Plans for displaying this would be to frame the piece and have it displayed with another piece of the sea with black shore, in which another line is drawn through.
Untitled, Installation with a fold upon paper on the wall, variation of The sea is here, still. This is the fold of a thing against a surface.
Image: detail screenshot from Untitled Installation on GSA Graduate Showcase. This is a found piece, in the absence of showing work in the physical space, I noticed a metaphor within the virtual space. The arch of leaves and their placement over the ‘sea is here, still’ is an enfolding, referencing the form of the sea wave.
Folding Skies
This piece has developed through layers of meanings.
Performance
Performance
Performance
Performance
I, as a graduating student at the Glasgow School of Art, would like to state my support for the Pause or Pay Campaign.
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
gouache on watercolour paper
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
gouache on watercolour paper
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Oil on Canvas, 135cm x 175cm
Oil on Canvas, 135cm x 175 cm
Graphite on paper
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Graphite on paper
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Pastel on MDF, 30 x 30cm
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Pastel on MDF, 30 x 30cm
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Charcoal on paper
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Charcoal on paper
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Documentation of a multichannel video/installation work collages a number of small video collages (Video)
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Video piece exploring threshold state and uncanny properties of 2d and 3d space
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Portrait of the hypnotist Marshall Sylver. Oil and Charcoal on Paper (0.8x.0.5m)
Price: £Inquire for prices
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Oil and graphite on MDF (20x10cm)(10x10cm)
Price: £Inquire for prices
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Pencil on paper (A3)
Price: £Inquire for prices
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Through referencing imagery derived from an ultrasound of an enlarged cyst in my ovary, as well as concocting edible sculptures from my kitchen, this installation serves to depict a feeling of discomfort yet tenderness in regarding the processes that our bodies experience in ingesting, expelling and storing memory inside of themselves. May, 2020. [sugar, royal icing, hair, resin, UV resin, gelatine, plaster, pewter, encapsulated mould, steel, clay, clear PVC, soap, jewellery chains, sound reactive LED analogue circuits, LED tealights], audio; [Recordings of my stomach and heart].
Through referencing imagery derived from an ultrasound of an enlarged cyst in my ovary, as well as concocting edible sculptures from my kitchen, this installation serves to depict a feeling of discomfort yet tenderness in regarding the processes that our bodies experience in ingesting, expelling and storing memory inside of themselves. May, 2020. [sugar, royal icing, hair, resin, UV resin, gelatine, plaster, pewter, encapsulated mould, steel, clay, clear PVC, soap, jewellery chains, sound reactive LED analogue circuits, LED tealights], audio; [Recordings of my stomach and heart].
Through referencing imagery derived from an ultrasound of an enlarged cyst in my ovary, as well as concocting edible sculptures from my kitchen, this installation serves to depict a feeling of discomfort yet tenderness in regarding the processes that our bodies experience in ingesting, expelling and storing memory inside of themselves. An installation piece from the group exhibition ‘Dialogue of failed languages’, March 2020. [sugar, royal icing, hair, UV resin, gelatin, pewter, sound reactive LED analogue circuits, LED tealights], audio; [Recording of my heart].
Lithography
Price: £150
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Oil on canvas 37cm*37cm
Price: £250
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Oil on canvas 37cm*37cm
Price: £250
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Oil on canvas 37cm*37cm
Price: £250
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Oil on canvas 37cm*37cm
Price: £250
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Oil on canvas 30cm*30cm
Price: £250
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Oil on canvas 30cm*30cm
Price: £250
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Oil on Canvas, 2.2 x 2.5m
Price: £4750
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Oil on Canvas, 2.2 x 2.5m
Price: £4750
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Oil on Canvas, 1 x 1.6m
Price: £1700
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Oil on Canvas, 90 x 120cm
Price: £1500
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Oil on Canvas, 1.5 x 2m
Price: £2150
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Oil on Canvas, 1.5 x 2m
Price: £2150
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Woodcut Print on Paper, 62 x 93cm
Price: £350
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Oil on Canvas, 1.4 x 1.8m
Price: £1750
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Oil on Canvas, 1.5 x 1.5m
Price: £1950
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Oil on Canvas, 1.3 x 1.5m
Price: £1850
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
graphite and chalk on paper
oil on canvas
Price: £700
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Motorised wheel containing glycerine
Motorised wheel containing glycerine
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Dolly the sheep, cloned in Scotland, was produced from a mammary gland, giving her the name Dolly, after Dolly Parton and her voluptuous boobs. The two flags hanging from a pole, parade Dolly the sheep and Dolly Parton as a pair, as a celebration of the modern day animal sacrifice.
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Protest
Leather, cast pewter, steel frame
Leather, cast pewter, steel frame
Waxed cotton and linen, cast pewter, steel frame
Still from Performance / Sculpture
Price: £500
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Sculpture, Wood, Metal.
Price: £500
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Sculptural Canvas, Metal & Weld.
Sculptural Canvas, Metal & Weld
Price: £250
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Metal & Weld
This work may contain graphic imagery, Click to toggle blur.
Site specific installation including: stoneware letterstamped books, A5 gouache/watercolour paintings and a 40 inch monitor displaying a video
Site specific installation including: stoneware letterstamped books, A5 gouache/watercolour paintings and a 40 inch monitor displaying a video
Price: £30 per ceramic book
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Site specific installation including: stoneware letterstamped books, A5 gouache/watercolour paintings and a 40 inch monitor displaying a video
Price: £20 per painting
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Illustration in watercolour and pencil of the exterior of Dornock church with tiny letterstamped poem
Price: £15
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Illustration in pencil of Dornock church cemetry onlooking to the red lights of Anthorn Radio Station with poem letterstamped on top
Price: £15
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Illustration in pencil of interior of Dornock Church, poem letterstamped on top
Price: £15
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Stoneware ceramic 'Quaichs' with Glaze, sat on wood/steel framework
Price: £40 per quaich
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Stoneware ceramic 'Quaichs' with Glaze, sat on wood/steel framework
Price: £40 per quaich
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
hand loomed beads that were attached to the artists body for a performance and ripped of during the dance.
This work may contain graphic imagery, Click to toggle blur.
Price: £800
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
performance of the artist stripping hand loomed beads from her chest whilst dancing around a makeshift pole
This work may contain graphic imagery, Click to toggle blur.
Price: £100
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
A knitted blanket with sketches of the artists stripper anecdotes and stories
This work may contain graphic imagery, Click to toggle blur.
Price: £1000
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
A performance of the artist wearing a fishnet bodysuit with embroidery thread rug tufted through the breast and crotch. throughout the performance the artist dances around a makeshift pole and trims the embroidery thread attached to the bodysuit.
This work may contain graphic imagery, Click to toggle blur.
Price: £100
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
A page from one of the strip comic zines that depict short stories of experiences as a stripper through quick sketches and speech bubbles
This work may contain graphic imagery, Click to toggle blur.
Price: £50
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
hand knitted jumpers that have been produced during lockdown whilst the artist is out of glasgow and staying with family
Price: £400 each
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
3:21 minute, audiovisual
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
This work may contain graphic imagery, Click to toggle blur.
Located in the Hidden Gardens in the Tramway. A place of rest. Inosculation in relation to the human body through movement, and embodied material handling . Sitting on this bench will allow you to become a part of the nature we inhabit. An exploration of our relationship and connection to natural growth crafted using recycled, sustainably sourced Elm Wood.
Exhibited in Civic House, Glasgow An image from a movement workshop I led working with The Hidden Gardens Mens group. A space for free thought, creativity and putting accessibility for all at the forefront of the activities. I wanted to work with this group to create a homage to its overwhelming sense of community amongst a group of people that together create a place of belonging. My workshop explored the importance of such shared spaces, conversation and mindfulness. Working with this group I was able to explore closeness, tension, the power of human interaction and escapism through movement. To explore this the men were asked to use their hands and bodies to mimic the inosculation seen in the gardens, leading to conversations based on touch, confidence and exchange of thoughts from the experience. During this current time living through a global pandemic with restrictions and bans of this sort of interaction this work creates a platform for appreciating importance for connecting with others through physical contact as well as shared inhabitation.This restriction has created a platform to further explore how my work, as well as how we view such important exchanges of touch, conversation and sharing will change as we go forward unknowingly into the future.
Exhibited in Civic House, Glasgow. This work acts as a model of the time spent with the Mens Group at The Hidden Gardens. The use of shadow explores the idea of story telling to create a sense of togetherness, contrasting with the solid concrete ground the figures stand on. This work acts as research into the different elements revealed through my shared time with the group.
Performed in The Barnes Building, Garage Exhibition Space, Glasgow. Images from a group performative workshop I led. In this workshop participants use their bodies to mimic and narrate experienced landscapes through collaborative decisions on movements, discussions and formations of quick tableaux. This allowing for reflection on how we relate to our surroundings and our placement of body between one another.
Performed in Milport, Scotland. A further exploration of using the body to narrate a space, this project explores further the body in relation to natural elements through recreating natural forms specific to this site.
Exhibited in Southbank, Melbourne, Australia. This work is an exploration of my time living away from Glasgow in Melbourne. Living in a new place I wanted to explore how I inhabit unknown spaces through habitual behaviour when trying to navigate a new way of life. I created sculptural configurations as a way of articulating my surroundings. These were derived from natural forms and spaces I found myself drawn to as surroundings became familiar and a sense of placement was revealed.
Exhibited in Southbank Victoria, Melbourne, Australia. This work explores structures and mechanisms of support, based on process of making. This was created through welding and a process of hand weaving found wire. This piece explores natural occurring support structures found in nature as well as embodied material handling to mimic processes seen in nesting and creation of habitats. The tension and contrast of one shell form holding the other in suspense exhibits this support between two forms relying on each other.
Exhibited at The Studio Pavilion, House for an Art Lover, Glasgow. In this project I wanted to explore how I could reveal hidden forms found in spaces I pass through as a way of giving these spaces narrative. These sculptural forms come from lines pulled out from the images seen hung in the space of branches in the trees. I created sculptural forms to expose them in their own right through scale and material.
Eyeam is a brand and kit to help children build empathy skills. Through the use of perspective taking and discussing emotions, the children gain a greater understanding of their own feelings as well as how others around them feel and think. By using the kit to transform regular objects into expressive creatures, they get an opportunity to explore these empathy skills in a playful and comfortable way.
A breakdown of how to use the kit and the value created through it. Though the project had a core focus on the development of empathy skills, it also improves the children’s cognitive development, social skills and promotes creativity/imaginative thinking. Teachers and parents can use the prompt cards to encourage discussions about emotions as well as children playing together without an adult input.
The concept originated from visiting the Hamilton School for the Deaf and observing the social difficulties for deaf children while communicating with hearing children. This gave me the drive to create a kit to help children understand the differences in difficulties or needs that we all as individuals have. I felt that making an extremely visual and tangible design was key to making the kit accessible to anyone. I also chose the playful and colourful aesthetic to create a more welcoming experience for an often hard to discuss topic of emotions.
Alongside designing the kit, I also created the brand eyeam. It was inspired by visualising emotions and how I chose to do this through the eye pieces. The eye pieces therefore can be used to represent an individual and their experiences, whether they are fictional or real stories. They are a way to prompt discussions such as, “I am feeling…because of…”, so the brand eyeam naturally emerged. The kit will act as a new form of communication between hearing and deaf pupils with a focus on emotions, thus helping the children to understand each other better.
Screen templates for The Sankofa Journey app. This project explores an alternative form of education for those in Malawi who have had to drop out from school due to social, economic, environmental, racial, or political factors.
A breakdown of how the app connects current university students and employers with those who have experienced barriers to an education. It creates a continuous cycle of knowledge sharing, community connections and new career opportunities. This will help to reduce the amount of people who currently choose to move away from Malawi to access training and education.
This model was created to experiment with different ways to display the various actions in the app. The app screens can be removed from the base and slotted into a centre display stand. It was tried out at our exhibition in The Lighthouse earlier this year and received great feedback on both how it displayed the screens and how it worked as an interactive exhibition piece.
I visited Eigg to research the ocean waste with the aim of empowering the community by finding value in the materials. The outcome is a service that gives the community the means of utilising the waste for their future needs. An example of this could be the potential for plastic to repair road surfaces impacted by significant erosion.
My visit to Eigg and speaking with the islanders allowed me to clearly understand their wants, needs and fears. This enabled me to build a future map constructed from my research. The empowerment of the community was important to me, I wanted to give them the knowledge and enable them to find value in the marine plastic. A market space would allow the islanders with their future roles (for their future needs), or own individual needs to meet and exchange materials with other islanders, and they can make what they need to thrive as a community.
I became closely acquainted with the islanders, their resourcefulness, the varied roles they take on, not only to survive but thrive. I got to understand their feelings towards the marine waste. From anger to fear, the islanders felt passionately. I wanted to turn this into an advantage for this rural community. I thought, what if I could create something that would allow them to know the material’s potential, and they could do it themselves, outside of mainland councils. Discovering each of the islanders have a ‘craft’ of their own, as well as other roles within the community. This drove my material testing to design materials around the islands future needs and therefore its future roles. Photographs from our trip shot by Charlotte Elcock, photographer, Communication Design @ GSA. Instagram: charlarts
I collected a variety of marine plastic from Eigg, brought it back and tested the material’s potential. From my research however what was most important was empowering the community tackling the fears they had for the future. I wanted the materials to be capable of helping them in a large scale, their infrastructure for example. With future development the marine plastic could be used within agriculture – polytunnel’s for example to develop their crop yields and reduce imported goods.
I created an initial model that shows 3 suggestions I have for material use. The model includes the market (front, centre), the waste shop (mid right) – which has the encyclopaedia as well as the machines and tools to mould the materials to their needs. The road shows how the marine waste could be used for road maintenance such as pot holes or to create a new road entirely. The houses (centre, left) indicate the other uses. Insulation from polystyrene and house tiles. My outcome was based on my research on Eigg, however Eigg acts as an exemplar community to inspire and educate other small, rural communities. Eigg resident, Hannah Morrison - “Our best work is education, especially in the school I myself remember being shocked going to high school and realizing that climate change education was not such a huge part of anyone else’s schooling.” More information can be found here.
The Bio-vase tackles the many issues associated with current cooking practices in rural areas, the biggest being indoor air pollution and its impact on the health of residents and our climate. Biogas provides an alternative source of clean domestic energy that helps to mitigate the emission of dangerous greenhouse gases. The Bio-vase service encourages users to create clean energy using household waste.
This gif shows the experience. Throughout the development of my project it was important for the user to understand the value of their waste so that it was meaningful to them. This is also significant so the user knows when they have excess energy, and it can be shared with friends or neighbours. This importance of shared access to clean energy and self-sufficiency was made clear at the very beginning of our research. GIF 1. ( Waste is also collected from the local farmer to ensure enough energy production) 4. (Each time waste is added to the digester the biogas measure rises)
This project gave us the opportunity to explore the underlying complexities regarding sustainable futures, post-capitalism, to envision a future world context. From our initial group research the lack of access to clean energy in the global south was major. This is ultimately why we designed an off-grid rural community that was self-sufficient. My individual project focuses on the production of domestic energy after discovering extremely alarming statistics on the dangers of indoor air pollution, a few of which I illustrate above. Furthermore, the change in climate will affect energy production, highlighting the necessity for a variety of energy production methods
Throughout the process it was challenging trying to design for people I had never met or places I understood so little about. However through meetings with experts from Sustainable Futures in Africa I gained a perspective I desperately needed.
The artefacts are made by the local entrepreneur from locally sourced and recycled materials. The vase can be decorated uniquely by the individuals and can be displayed as decoration to celebrate clean cooking. More information can be found here.
“An accessible multimedia motion chair to enable the remembering of deceased loved ones through creative, immersive engagement in mementos and other kinds of remains”
For city-dwelling people who want to remember their loved ones, but find it difficult to access both the specific memorial site (such as a grave, especially if it’s overseas) and even any peaceful reflective local space that suits their needs within their own busy city. This person wants to have a richer reflective experience concerning their departed loved ones that contrasts with the daily distractions of the city.
Contemporary life is becoming increasingly urban - more people are living in cities and their lives are increasingly busy making it difficult to make space for traditional acts of remembrance - especially when these acts require traveling great distances out of the city. Yet there is still a need to deal with emotional and rational responses to death - not just in one moment (often at the point of internment), but as a regular aspect of daily life.
There are currently important city-based sites that function as places where the living and the dead can be brought into healthy proximity. However, such places require a large amount of inner-city space - is unlikely to be preserved in the future as city populations expand and cities themselves become more densely populated. Indeed, space is already becoming an issue for the nonliving: graveyards themselves are becoming full and there will be insufficient land in which to bury the dead. Moreover, how we live now is very different to the days in which traditional burial and remembrance practices were created.
People are more internationally mobile - moving across the world to study and work and becoming less physically attached to their traditional home regions, often consolidating their movements to urban centers. This presents a designable moment: how might a product serve these mobile people in ways that static, singular memorial sites (such as graves) do not? People are more time-limited, which curtails their ability to make long journeys to these static sites. Nevertheless, people still have the desire and need to connect in some way with these sites. This presents another designable moment: how can we preserve the deeply affecting aspects of time-consuming pilgrimage for increasingly time-limited people?
EmpowHer is a kit aimed at young girls going through first menstruation in the Global South to provide education and physical resources to help them through the transition and also to provide context and education for older and younger generations of women. When the daughter approaches the age where she may have her period, the mom can sign up for this program. The kit includes reusable menstrual pads, menstrual pad DIY, information of menstruation cycle, a disease tester, hygiene products, a pouch, and a bottle with brush cap and dirt filter.
My project will help to normalize menstruation. Turn the process from scary into anticipatory, and begin to teach women how their bodies will be changing and what they will need to stay happy and healthy. The kits will begin to build up a culture of women supporting each other and celebrating their bodies. This show girls that having a period is normal, there will be less shame and more opportunity to seek out resources. The goal is to reduce stigma and get young girls comfortable with the ideas. We will create a positive experience for their first menstruation moment.
My final prototype is a kit aimed at women going through menstruation in the GS to provide education and physical resources to help them through the transition and also to provide context and education for older and younger generations of women.
Musi Co. is a brand that connects people through creative waste management. Cultivating relationships between communities, individuals, and nature across the world by channelling art and music as represented in the logo. Leading to inspiring stories that bring people together through a collective effort; the concept of recycling generates a force for change in communities and around the globe.
Musi Co. teaches people to treasure the waste that engulfs our urban environments, as a subscription service it spreads culture and worth. Users receive access to playlists of music jams online. Musi Co. subscribers receive a portable device pod that allows them the opportunity to record their own sounds from waste and send them to be mixed. Users save their favourite tunes on the pod to listen on the go.
The service creates various opportunities for employment, as people are needed to gather materials, build the instruments, manage subscribers, and oversee the service’s operation. Participants in the Global South collect useful waste materials work and craft to construct and convert these into unique musical instruments from the recycled materials. Producing music with these instruments have a direct stake in reducing waste and reusing discarded materials while influencing future solid waste management habits and practices.
A main value of my project was to connect people from around the world. I focused on mutual connections with the aim to create reciprocal relationships. Meanwhile it was important to harness value of culture, sustainability, and resourcefulness. The cycle of Musi Co. offers opportunities and job roles at each stage of the service.
This sharing of music with members in different countries creates a global network united by a passion for music and a desire to create culture from waste. “The message of this experiment touched me because of the empowering effect a group can have on individuals and communities through their innovative and creative use of discarded objects.” Vanessa
My Young at Heart project explores and expands on how design can overcome and improve the social issue surrounding isolation and loneliness in the older generation. My aim is to use design to enhance and normalise how generations can communicate and interact. I plan to explore and challenge methods of design interaction through artefacts, technology, and events for an intergenerational outcome.
I explored ageism as a way of understanding isolation and loneliness within the elder demographic. It was important to gain personal views from the older users and compare them to how younger generations reflect on the stigmas, in addition to current statistics. Throughout the research process I received a tide of inspirational views, that reflected a motivational mindset, these inspired me to push boundaries.
This research method was most appropriate to gain a span of insights. From not only what the user answers but the manner in which they articulate the tasks. I used the cultural probe as a communication method; daily tasks to gain insights on users’ routines, activities, and what sparks interest. Using a variety of artefacts as methods of communication allowed user to express themselves in different manners, enhancing intrigue and exploring methods.
With covid19 circumstances, I have continued methods of communication. Exploring how generations of people can not only communicate but interact when mobility and personal interactions are comprimised. Ranging from personal, to physical to mental activities and methods, these ongiong probes have opened my projects value into how we can continue and adpat the manners of interacting with older generations.
My aim is to expand the mindset and manners in how we interact with older generations. Integrating generations will prevent loneliness and isolation among elderly. Using both physical artefacts and tech to create a physical and meaningful intergenerational relationship through impact of experimental design. The impact of these respected, reciprocal relationships spreads awareness, value and positively adapt an intergenerational attitude of communications.
My individual project is called S.U.T.E.C., which stands for safe, urban, technologically advanced, environmentally friendly and communal living. S.U.T.E.C. provides a safe space for women who are beginning new lives in Cities in the Global South. Sustainable and environmentally friendly, S.U.T.E.C. is a refuge created solely for women that incorporates all of the essential amenities they might need to ensure a sheltered and comforted stay until they gain confidence and independence. This includes: a communal kitchen, toilet, showers and a shared garden.
Our discovery stage research centered on self-sufficient and clean energy in rural Africa for which our team designed a model village of the future. Driven by my desire to design for the vulnerable I focused my project on women; who are often disadvantaged in the Global South. I wanted to take the values of clean energy, self-sufficiency, exchange and community from a rural context and translate them into the urban environment and cities to develop spaces for females to gain their independence.
Informative engagements with experts from the Global North & South provided key input to drive my project. Understanding their lived experience gave me a deep insight into a context I did not have access to and informed my conceptual focus on women who felt unsafe living alone in urban slums. In particular I was drawn to their feelings of dread in the long distances they had to walk to access basic facilities such as toilets. As they constantly have to fear violence, especially at night.
Creating a 1:100 scale model of the building for exhibition allowed me to understand the complex intricacies of the potential spaces and environments that the user would interact with and navigate, such as stairways and bathroom facilities. Further iterative developments gave me insight and feedback to drive decision making and consider my final outcome from a human centered perspective. The model contains a shower room, courtyard garden, bedrooms, solar panels and the roof-top water heating system across three stories.
Starting a life in the city is not easy in some places in the Global South and many people end up living in slums. There the living conditions are often very bad; especially for women. I wanted to add value to the lives of these women, to improve their standard of living whilst allowing them to maintain a sense of community; formed with the other occupants of the house. These spaces would be founded through charity organisations as a framework with local governance thereafter so that they could be self sustained by the women living there.
For my self initiated project I chose to focus on understanding the experience of children with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) in primary education; with the goal to develop an increased awareness and empathy of the condition. My insights aim to inform and inspire decision making of the experts in the field, and through co-designed workshops, develop interactive public facing exhibitions and a specialised awareness weak that focuses on familiarising the lived experienced of ADHD for others. I am mostly concentrating in creating these for educational institutes so that teachers and students can learn about the condition.
I chose to focus on ADHD due to strong misconceptions and the lack of public awareness of the condition. This image shows a compilation of the way different people have visualised ADHD often resulting in a negative perception despite the numerous positive qualities to it. My research entailed desk and user research, I mainly focused on the way teachers deal with ADHD in their class, how they are informed about the conditions and next to the general facts about ADHD. I also looked at what the positive and negative aspects of ADHD are and how they affect people.
Through Your Child’s Eyes is an inspirational example by understood.org that has inspired my project a lot. It is a virtual tool aimed to make people understand what it feels like to struggle with different learning disabilities. https://www.facebook.com/Understood/videos/2226693820690305/?v=2226693820690305 . This virtual tool shows one way of making people understand the struggle people with ADHD face every day which then helps create more empathy for them.
Within the discovery phase of my project I conducted two online questionnaire surveys to gain a broad understanding of the world of ADHD within the school environment. I focused on the experience of children with ADHD whilst in school and what teachers are taught about the condition. I collated and synthesised the data from this and visualised it into in several infographics to drive my next stages of concept development. This helped me to understand how students struggle in school and the frustrations they deal with on a daily basis.
My dissertation investigates the value of secrecy and hidden compartments through an exploration of pockets and spaces used to hide secrets or personal possessions; from the 17th Century to the present day. I present how the perception of privacy and secret keeping has changed and evolved by examining the technological advancements that have helped us hide secrets over time. A lot can be learned about society and the economic situation of an era by understanding what people had to hide at the time.
Women in rural Malawi are still subjected to a traditional initiation ceremony when they reach sexual maturity. This involves sending them away to have sex with a paid male prostitute to rid them of their “child dust”. My project suggests an infiltration of the current ceremony in the way of an underground movement to provide the women of Malawi with contraception.
“We could spend millions on new hospitals, midwifery education or the latest technology... the neonatal and maternal death rates reflect the devastating and inevitable effects of child pregnancy. To ease the pressure on the healthcare system, we must focus our efforts on prevention methods.” - Jude Robinson , Member of SFA Network
From my research I discovered that the ceremony is hosted remotely outside of villages and only females can attend them. This was my key observation for a way to infiltrate the system. With the help and assistance of an NGO, contraception, along with sexual and menstrual health education, could be provided at the new and improved ceremony.
Using a speculative lens, I predict that contraceptive patches will be manufactured small enough to be able to fit on an earring backing. I chose earrings because, not only does piercing culture fit with African traditions, but they are also in contact with the skin at all times when worn and would be non-intrusive to the strenuous tasks these women complete daily.
With the introduction of accessible contraception, my proposal will dramatically reduce the neonatal and maternal deaths in Malawi, easing the strain on the healthcare system. By postponing pregnancy until the girls are fully developed themselves, their education will not be derailed from childbearing responsibilities which will in turn encourage brighter futures with financial independence.
My ‘Pause for thought’ project looks into how design can overcome stigma and improve the physical and social experience of women going through menopause. My aim is to normalise the topic by celebrating the life transition like any other major life event. Menopause should no longer be relegated to a ‘woman’s issue’, I intend to challenge this thinking with my design outcome.
Using future thinking, I believe a menopause party could be as common as a birthday party in the future. Women would come together with their friends and family to acknowledge and celebrate a large change in their life. A party would eliminate feelings of isolation as the woman would be able to physically see the support system she has around her.
My drive for this project stems from watching my mum go through menopause. It wasn’t until I witnessed the effects first-hand, that I realised the lack of education or general conversation around the topic. The women I interviewed for my project, unanimously agreed that more measures should be in place to bring light to a natural biological change to the female body.
Rituals are an important element of parties, such as blowing candles out on a cake. I took all of the personal anecdotes and confessions from my interview participants’ transcripts and mapped the rollercoaster of emotions that were relayed to me. I used these emotions and translated them into actions for the choreography of the ritual.
A red frozen egg, symbolic of fertility and menstruation, is smashed by the celebrated woman. The ice melts to a red liquid which is used to dye a ribbon that is made into a badge for daily wear. The badge acts as a social queue for women, they no longer have to declare they are menopausal in order to have their needs catered to.
The Usual Place is a framework of three core beliefs: ‘pride of place and tradition, cultural mobility in sound, and a committed and connected community’. The result is a community of music makers and consumers who identify with, and can be identified by, the special symbol and who can share culturally relevant beliefs to breed future-orientated thinking from within. This community can manifest in a number of ways depending on the socio-economic circumstances of place, including as an app to tie the community together and a physical-format music exchange.
In the coming ten years, trends indicate that record labels will become obsolete and the creation of music will come second to the advertising of products by musicians in order to make money. Large conglomerates will fuel this and act as the new music facilitators, thus muting cultures and dragging unsustainable notions of development bred in the Global North to the Global South in the wave of globalisation. Drivers of local culture, and change, including the youth, can identify with The Usual Place as a motion for rebellion. Something to hold on to, to preserve locality and tradition in the face of unsustainable growth.
The brief laid bare a unique challenge in understanding my place as the designer who is being asked to design for sustainable roles for the Global South. Aware of avoiding ‘colonial’ approaches, I identified early-on during expert input sessions that it is key to encourage development from within communities in the Global South in order for fresh, relevant future-building approaches to arise.
I explored my work, especially in the early exploration and development stages of the project, through heavy use of sketch books. I find that this 2D visual format allows for me to document my thinking quickly and articulately. I can then use this as the basis for more refined visual communication of ideas, as a prompt for conversation with peers and tutors, and as a diary insight into my design approach.
The Usual Place has the capacity to evolve into a global community of like-minded groups who use music as a vehicle to allow cultures and traditions to drive change, instead of being carried along by the wave of globalisation. This change, as implied by the different iterations of the recognisable icon, would be tailored to the place in which it sits. This tailored change is more likely to be sustainable and innovative, unique to place and local problems, but supported by a wider network around the world.
Era Sine (era sin-e) is a speculative design exercise that projects a new tangibility onto the reality we already live. Time is our own, we can do what we wish with it, it is a tradeable and valuable thing. We always have it on our person, and it reflects the kind of person we are. In our attempts to de-personalise it because we know this can be unhealthy, there are places that we can go to meet up with others and share our time amongst each other to experience it as a collective. This is our attempt to be without time. Era Sine.
The present-day struggle to manage time can seem rather like a nightmare. This persona, based on interviews with a student as target-user, illustrates this reality. Students, and mostly everyone, walk a tightrope toward productivity. This need to balance our responsibilities in such a way that we spend our time wisely is brought on by the commodification of time in our society. A way of challenging this notion is to highlight that we cannot ‘spend’ time and it does not get away from us, because it was never ours. This understanding could clear a path toward alleviating mental stress brought on by our need to feel productive.
Time-related stress is one of the most prominent mental-health challenges in our society. Evidenced here as illustration in a quick research exercise amongst my peers and their stress levels relative to time during a project, the graph highlighting the positive and negative effects of time-pressure. Crucially however, it is understood, through years of in-depth research into time-use diaries, that our feelings of rushed-ness do not correlate to a change in daily activities. In the last sixty years, what we actually do all day hasn’t changed much. The busy-badge that we are so proud to wear is a projection of the folk-narrative of our time, of society at large, unto ourselves.
I developed speculative scenarios, and explored ideas inspired by insights, through storyboarding. I find this method of visualisation and communication not only helps me think critically about a concept, but it acts as a conversation starter for users and peers. Furthermore, rapid prototyping using things like modelling clay can add a tangibility to ideas that brings them into a space where they can be imagined in use in reality.
Era Sine imagines time as a physical commodity to be cherished and shared. This speculative approach to designing for the topical and relevant mental-health issue of time related stress, lays bare our current unhealthy relationship with time in the hope of encouraging new modes of thinking. By illustrating a real-life problem and scenario in such an ‘unrealistic’ manner, we can come to terms with the absurdity of it and use this to change our habits.
By 2030, aid should no longer be something administered to the Global South by the Global North. There should be opportunities for an exchange of knowledge and skills rather than the simplistic provision of money and resources. ‘The Global Knowledge Exchange’ sees ambassadors in the Global North and Global South teaming up to discuss ideas that are important to their communities.
Using virtual-reality headsets and a series of tools to aid their conversation, the mentors are able to uncover knowledge that they then share with their communities. The three artefacts are used as tactile input devices to support discussion. The mentor can also wear the objects as jewellery to prompt conversation within the community.
The Global Knowledge Exchange’ builds on an insight I was introduced to while continually working with experts, shown above. This system will challenge this common misconception, proving the Global South has much to offer the Global North. This was the central focus of this project - an equal knowledge exchange.
Although people were important during this project, how to communicate with one another with the issue of a language barrier was another crucial factor. The artefact inspiration came from the connotations surrounding crystals and how they are symbolic to people. I was deeply interested in getting to people through artefacts which required a form development to reach the final outcome.
The artefacts demonstrate a gestural, haptic language that is tactile for the ambassadors to communicate effectively with one another in a new, universal language. The series of three artefacts allow the users wider accessibility to one another while also relating to each object on a personal level.
The central focus for this project was to create a better ‘Link’ between society and post homeless people through food. From the research conducted I found that currently there is a lack of communication between stakeholders surrounding post homeless people. ‘Link’ would ensure that all stakeholders create a better network for homeless people, situating society at the forefront of this.
Research shows that there is a vital time to implement change to ensure the cycle of poverty is broken within the post homeless community. For this to succeed, homeless people need to feel like citizens and a part of society. While conducting interviews with homeless people (past and present), community kitchens, and soup kitchen volunteers, it became clear that most homeless people in Glasgow do not, and often never, feel a part of society.
Speaking to a man who was ‘hidden homeless’ triggered the thought that many people want to help those in need, sometimes we just don’t know how to make a big enough impact. Not only is this valuable for the receiver, it is also equally beneficial to the donor. ‘Link’ would be a collaborative cooking and dining experience, with equal benefits to both users.
After discussions with various stakeholders showing my work, it was evident that this service would take form of a system that allowed a domino effect of support to be accessible. ‘Link’ allows the post homeless user to establish a connection with a buddy with the idea that they will later become a buddy for a new user down the line.
The issue I wanted to deal with when tasked with designing a sustainable development for the future Global South was the exponentially growing amount of electronics in landfills, also called ‘e-waste’. This map shows the amount of e-waste (per capita) produced in each African country, as well as the state of e-waste regulations in that country.
In Ghana young men burn e-waste to extract valuable metals from rubber and plastic housings, an extremely toxic and dangerous process. The estimated value of e-waste sitting in landfills globally is 60 billion euros.
Repairmen in Africa create agency, by turning trash into tech, and fixing electronics. They are the keepers of repair knowledge.
Speaking to the experts about what I’ve learned about e-waste from my desktop research. I spent the previous day disassembling as much e-waste as I could get my hands on to better understand the ease of disassembly as well as the salvageability of the components
E-Cycle is a brand that employs local repairpersons and other community members, who repair tech and teach workshops with the goal of closing the e-waste cycle, and keeping valuable resources out of the landfill.
For my self initiated project I decided to look into critical thinking in public education from the point of view of the teacher.
I interviewed dozens of educators of all different levels, private and public. Two common themes appeared; the overuse of standardized testing, and lack of teacher/student autonomy.
I gathered all of the insights that I gained from my desktop research/interviews, and plotted it onto a chart, so I could understand how different elements of nursery, primary, and secondary could be better tailored to nurture critical thinking.
My latest prototype for a final design is a small booklet that helps teachers nurture and support the critical thinking abilities of their students.
The Habitat Education and Restoration Agency (H.E.R.A.) draws attention to how our environment influences our behavioural habits and makes a statement that wellbeing and future thinking should no longer be a luxury. This speculative system is placed in a preferable future within an area between the urban and the rural, called the Sustainable Belt, dedicated to educating the population on sustainable and symbiotic living. The selection of artefacts makes up a personalised introductory kit for newcomers to the Sustainable Belt. In a tangible manner, it manifests the identity of the traveller and becomes a support mechanism throughout their stay.
With the move to a self-sufficient sustainable environment, H.E.R.A. aims to shift people’s understanding and relationships with their land. As a future vision of sustainable work practice on a micro and macro level, it puts the responsibility of creating a healthier landscape on each individual across society. This environmental structure could be implemented around every major city and would engage each citizen through an obligatory service, along with a possibility of gradually revisiting the compounds throughout their life. Through habitual practice, H.E.R.A. aims to strengthen and restore the lost connection to our landscape.
Driven to create an environmental heritage through rituals, I began drafting scenarios of a preferable future and asking 'what kind of world would we want to live in'? Critical discussions with sustainable development experts accentuated the fact that wellbeing and future thinking is a luxury that is not affordable for many, especially in the Global South. The aim of the project was to then make sustainable practice and knowledge accessible to all; ultimately making it a societal value.
At the developmental stage of the project, I have explored with various system mapping techniques to contextualise the proposal of the H.E.R.A. system. 3D pop up maps were an effective design tool for engaging and testing the user journey with the Sustainable Futures of Africa (SFA) network. By physically allowing experts to go through the matrix, they gradually explored how participants would transfer to the new environment, and have their profile run through Hera, an AI that then proposed suitable activities based on their skills, strengths and individualities.
By giving each citizen the chance to devote a stage of their lifetime to the Sustainable Belt, this government-funded organisation shows how an environmentally conscious mindset could spread across society. The project aims to equip and empower people to gain and grow their ecological knowledge and develop sustainable habitual behaviour that then can impact their local communities. The pictured H.E.R.A. application acts as a progress journal, archiving all data and materials gathered throughout the completed activities and workshops; acting as a memoir of the stay, with accessible expertise knowledge that participants can build on.
IO is a speculative project inspired by the Japanese notion of Ma (間), defined as ‘in-betweenness’, ‘negative space’ or ‘time-space’, and proposes an experiential response to the modern fast-paced society. Its value lies in provoking and challenging society to re-think our relationship with time and societal expectations of meeting the ever-increasing speed instilled by modern economies. It envisions a future where ultimately technology is the last resource for stimulating an introspective hiatus. IO becomes a new form of public-facing intelligence, designed to create an unexpected moment of in-betweenness and reflection, by creating a one-off emotional connection with a stranger initiated by facial recognition and shaped by social data. This personalised Ma moment targets the overstimulated and inattentive, to disrupt the fast-paced rhythm of society.
IO takes place in a future scenario where technology becomes an all-round life companion. With new forms of intelligence introduced to understand and learn about its users, facial recognition becomes ubiquitous and socialising took on the form of 'separate togetherness’. Such alternative futures were created in the process of drawing out a spectrum of society's future responses to the tensions of fast-paced city life. Personas were curated based on emerging behavioural habits in interviewed stakeholders that identified as being negatively affected by the lifestyle, depended on technology for mental repose and were put into stress at the moment of inaction.
With the objective to explore how the metropolitan environment instils a draining rhythm, I decided to engage in the practice of flânerie and explore how psychogeography can aid in gathering insights and design opportunities. While mapping my journey and taking documentation of my encounters, tensions and spontaneous moments of Ma, I came across this black panel guarding off a construction site; static on the background of the bustling city. This shocking juxtaposition enforced a sudden pause and contemplation, where ultimately I found myself in a spatial in-betweenness.
Challenging existing systems using ideologies that often take on relational meaning was difficult at first to imagine. Participatory methods of involving stakeholders in materialising this abstract concept became useful in contextualising Ma and exploring tangible interpretations. By provoking people to think in these abstractions, I was pleasantly surprised to observe 'Ma' becoming a new universal term and human value amongst my participants. Critical discussions with Japanese designers made me realise how momentous Ma is in Japanese everyday life and how it can be utilised for gaining a wider perspective.
With technological advances and work-focused lives, people have less time to reflect on their lives as they become dominated by the need to act, to be online, to deliver, which ultimately causes a desensitisation to our environment, a feeling of ennui and fragmented attention across society. Technology gave us the possibility to always be connected and never feel alone. The key value of IO is that it disrupts this preconceived notion by letting us be alone for a brief quiet moment and to just think about yourselves. It provokes a discussion surrounding existing societal norms, how those affect our wellbeing and how in relation the role of technology might change in the future.
This is a short documentary I created about a well-known visually pleasing and picturesque site called Finnich Glen, otherwise known as The Devil's Pulpit. Located in the beautiful and scenic town of Stirling, The Devil's Pulpit is a popular site which is visited frequently by locals and those travelling far and wide. I wanted to create this documentary to not only highlight the beauty of the land, but to introduce some stories and background that is woven into the water and rocks that lay home to it. I really enjoyed creating this documentary as it was my first try at camera work and using Final Cut Pro X which were both new skills for me to learn. Some advice if you're going to visit - be careful!
An image taken at the bottom of the rocky and dangerous steps that lead down to the heart of The Devil's Pulpit.
This is a short documentary that was created by myself and my classmate Lucius about the Light and Space Art Movement. This was in interesting yet difficult documentary to create as there was little to no archived footage which meant it had to consist mostly of stills. However, we had some help from artists who we got in touch with such as Olafur Eliasson and an independent light show team called Squidsoup who allowed us to use some of their images and videos which was very kind of them. All of this teamed up with the relaxing soundtrack created by Lucius and an illustrative and informative voice over created by myself allowed us to produce this piece that we are both proud of. The most interesting part about creating this documentary was strangely all of the research. It was amazing to explore an art movement that neither myself or Lucius were familiar with and we enjoyed the plethora of unique art work that we found. Most of the pieces that we found impactful were added to the documentary, but sadly there were just too many to include them all.
This is an image by the United Visual Artists that was used in our film. used in Experimental, Situational, Phenomenal. All copyright goes to original artist.
This is my Voice Over Showreel that was created by myself and my lecturer Paul Wilson. I found a real passion for Voice Acting during my time at GSA and it has allowed me to work with professionals outside of university that enjoy my work. It's also a nice escape to create some voice overs and spend some time doing some simple editing with them. I really enjoyed making this showreel to showcase my different accents and styles and hope it leads to more work in the future! Please note all copyright belongs to the original advertisement.
This is an audio and visual exploration of the urban landscape. It processes street culture, skateboarding and music through a psychedelic lens, and opens up an alternative look into the city. repurposing spaces to bring people together across the asphalt jungle
"Bosco Regina" is a portrait of a man and his dogs as they hunt for the ultimate prize, the woodcock - also known as the queen of the forest. This visually spectacular documentary is a meditation on the coexistence of predator and prey and the beauty to be found between the lines of pursuit and action. It is a peaceful film about hunting, where the only shots fired are from a camera. Sean directed, filmed, edited and wrote voiceover and music for the film.
“Not To Need You”, by Scottish act Dancing on Tables, is an example of Sean’s innovative and ambitious approach to filmmaking. The video was filmed in a single continuous take to help capture the songs building tension, and complex choreography was used to achieve the impression that the band were disappearing and reappearing, meant to visually represent the themes of loss and separation explored within the song. Sean directed, filmed and edited the video, with the help of a single assistant on the day to ensure he didn’t fall over when walking backwards.
This showreel features work which has all been filmed and edited by Sean De Francesco between 2019-20. The musical accompaniment “Breaking Or Broken (Instrumental)” was composed by Sean as part of the band Moonlight Zoo.
Taken during the filming of "Bosco Regina", which was shot entirely with a Sony a6300 + kit lens, mounted on an electronic gimbal.
This piece is included to demonstrate my experience using the game audio middleware ‘Wwise’, using its in-built demo game ‘Cube’. This type of software is designed to enable sound designers to implement audio in an interactive environment, while still having access to some of the tools and the familiarity of a traditional digital audio workstation. Using a combination of synthesis, Foley recording and sound FX libraries, I began accumulating sound assets that I felt suited the visual appearance of the game, that being a retro, low-res form. Once I had sourced and/or recorded the required sounds, I arranged and assigned them to create an interactive soundscape within the framework of Wwise. There are some issues caused by audio triggers from the game itself, namely the speed of footsteps and the type of underfoot surfaces, but despite this I am happy with the progress of this piece, and it has served as an invaluable learning exercise into the process of implementing sound in games.
This piece was inspired by the Franz Kafka novella ‘The Metamorphosis’, a story in which the main character, Gregor Samsa, awakens in his bed to discover that he has transformed into a giant insect. The story conveys a number of thematic messages, including those of isolation, disease and alienation. It can be read as a comment on the fragility of the mind and body, with emphasis given to the description of Gregor’s transformed state and the effect it has on him. For this work I produced and combined sound and visual imagery to represent the opening scene of the story, when Gregor awakens to the melancholy-inducing sound of rain on his window, before slowly realising what has happened to him. In this piece my primary aim was to create and use sound to convey Gregor’s shifting emotions, gradually moving from a subdued, melancholic state to one of dawning panic and horror. The visuals are intended to supplement these emotional connotations, while also helping to enhance the impression of claustrophobia and isolation.
surround(binaural) radio drama where I have created my own sound design to give the audience a spatially enhanced listening experience to draw them closer to the action.
is a 360 film based from my personal experience what it is like to have dyspraxia. The film immerses the audience in a world where voices and strange drone-like sounds move back and forth between the foreground and the background layered to give the listener/viewer a subjective perspective of my inner voice.
This item is for sale, please contact for more information.
Film Documentary detailing the rise and fall of a grade A listed building in Scotland
This short film assignment was my first experience making a film with entirely original content. Within this piece I explore the diversity of the out door world, looking at Scotland and the industrial City of Glasgow. I wanted to draw attention to the 2 different worlds we live in; experimenting with tension and surprise in order to emphasise the contrast between the natural and the manmade. Blending progressive sounds, field recordings and harmonic tones, I attempted to compliment the rushes of the vast landscapes; slowing time and creating space for contemplation. This is disrupted by the glitchy scenes of the city, where industrial noises intensify the lights and brutal architecture.
A short documentary about the Dada art movement. This film recounts the beginnings and later influences of the early 20th century European art movement. The film contains interviews, sound design and original music that pays homage to the movement itself.
A short film that demonstrates the visual effects of sound frequencies on matter. The film features a series of materials that react physically to the phenomenon of Cymatic frequencies. Cymatics is a branch of acoustics that observes the effect of standing waves created by low vibrations through natural materials. Certain frequencies create unique patterns only found in nature. The visuals in this film are accompanied by original music.
