Uncategorized – Page 2

The T.A.N.K: Part 1

Ben Middleton / March 30, 2013March 30, 2013 / T.A.N.K, Uncategorized

One of the first ideas for the Tank group was to create a video recreating the conception of the tank. The video was to use the Yarborough room within the White Hart Hotel in Lincoln where historically we know the idea of the tank was first conceived. We did this because this could be a real starting point for our performance since we could use it as a mapping point and explore the creation of the tank from this very beginning. We also this was a strong point because ‘Relationships between the arts and everyday life became subject to radical scrutiny in the period of the historical avant-garde’ ((Goven Emma et al (2007) Making a Performance: Devising Histories and Contemporary Practices, Routledge p. 18)) we thought this was important because ‘Place is a space in which important words have been spoken which have established identity, defined vocation and envisioned destiny.’ ((Brueggeman, Walter (1989) ‘The Land’, in Liburne G.(ed) A Sense of place: Christian Theology of the Land, Nashville: Abingdon Press)) the tank changed the face of warfare and the idea of war altogether and we believe that this notion of the changing of warfare needs to be highlighted.

We then moved onto looking at turning this video into more of a commercial, or an American-styled infomercial where the presenter tempts you into buying the product being sold, this being the tank, mixed in with soundscapes of tanks and collages of images from testing out the tanks to them on the battlefield. We thought this would be effective because it the audience could take it as if we were trying to ‘sell’ the idea of a tank to them today. Plus it plays with the idea that all the investors of the tank back in the early 20^th Century were placing a huge bet on the effectiveness of the tanks, similar to the people who placed bets on the horses at the grandstand.

Another idea we looked at was building a small scale model tank within the grandstand whilst being dressed as engineers and other workers who would have been involved in building the tank. We talked about doing this because ‘The first tank was built in Lincoln by William Foster and Co.’ ((Fish, Elizabeth (2013) Tank Memorial Proposed for Lincoln Roundabout, online: http://thelincolnite.co.uk/2013/03/tank-memorial-moves-to-lincoln-roundabout/ (accessed 20 March 2013) ))Showing how Lincoln is essential to the conception of the tank and how it was vita to helping Britain win the war. We also wanted to play with idea of building the tank as a scale model because the action to build a small scale model takes precise intricate movements which would be reciprocated in the idea that when originally building the tanks every choice had to be precise and carefully planned in order to make the tank work.

Since this idea of ours it has come to light that a group within Lincoln wish to create a memorial of the birth of the tank on the roundabout at the end of Tritton Road in Lincoln ‘The aim behind the idea… is to remind and educate people on Lincoln’s engineering history, and commemorate the effort made by civilians in the city during the war.’ (( Fisch, Elizabeth (2013) Tank Memorial Proposed for Lincoln Roundabout, online: http://thelincolnite.co.uk/2013/03/tank-memorial-moves-to-lincoln-roundabout/ (accessed 20 March 2013) ))This idea highlights the fact that Lincoln and Lincolnshire in general was essential to the cause of winning the war.

‘Lincolns Story’

Olivia Milne / March 3, 2013May 13, 2013 / Uncategorized

On a visit to Lincolnshire life archives our process began clearly focused around the true life stories we had discovered here. Taking the attitude or the drifting, explorative and keen to gain more and untold knowledge, we discovered the story of the Beechey Bother. The Beechey Brothers were a group of 8 brothers that lived with their mother Amy, on Monks Road. All 8 brothers fought the Great War and only 3 returned, there is only one case in which as many brothers died at war which has been documented and that was in Gloucester. Upon researching the Lincolnshire boys lost in the Great War at the Lincolnshire archives, we stumbled across this case, which we found it was colored with letters, documents, and soberingly, death certificates. Amy Beechey who received praise from the king and Queen for her sacrifice, also recieved hundreds of letters from all sons, who were stationed from the front line at the Somme, to a battalion in Australia, in varying parts of the Lincolnshire regiment. The tragic loss and heart wrenching letters, to say the least struck a cord with me and Lauren, who both felt the story of the Beechey Brothers needed to be told more.

In all plain truth, Iam struggling with how to present the tale in a honest, pure way, that will not try and replicate or mimick characters, so much to the point wether I was unsure if I could present the story and legend in a dignified performance and the thought mildly daunted me. But when presenting the subject matter of the letters and boys tales to a class it was described as ‘Lincolns Story’. Aswell as being personal to the grandstand, the human story is personal to all of us, aswell as the geography which merely highlights how close we are to such a travesty in history. It was from then that I came to realisation of how the story is told is not as important, but its being told is nesscsary, to think it is brushed under the carpet and left as unappreciated as the grandstand some believe is, doesn’t seem just to the Beechey family, and Lincoln as a City. When commended by the Queen on her sacrifice Amy Beechey replied with ‘ It was no sacrifice M’aam. I did not give them willingly’ ((http://www.thelincolnshireregiment.org/beechey.shtml)) This quote rapidly became a focal point to the way in which I want to fill the tragic story, the idea of regret aswell as honour seems crucial, poignant themes, that are left after hearing ‘ Lincolns Story’, that we will be ensure to present.

After being so touched by these story we planned upon a visit to the Lincoln Life Museum that our findings should be explicitly about the Beechey family and the sheer mass of life lost we found heartbreaking. Ironically enough when at the museum we were similar taken back with our findings surrounding lost on and even greater scale.

Patchwork

Jamee-Lee Fleming / February 27, 2013May 11, 2013 / Uncategorized

At the Lincolnshire Archives, we found information about the women during the war and how they worked in the factories making linen for the aeroplane wings. This was because it was a light material and able to stretch to around the wings perfectly in order for the planes to fly. As a group we wanted to re-create the linen wings by using sewing machines and materials. At first we wanted to make an aeroplane out of material then add the wings on to it as it covered our performance space but unfortunately this was impossible because of the time scale we had. But, we collected unwanted clothing and bits of material and started making our wings.

As we working making them, we noticed that the material looks like fields of patchwork and linking this back in with the aeroplanes it is like a bird’s eye view on when the pilots looked down as they were flying over Lincoln.

(http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=patchwork+fields&tbm=isch&tbs=simg:CAQSWglcWY_1O0jQdexpGCxCwjKcIGjQKMggBEgynBKQEkwSQBI4EjQQaIPaMAzZ4sXmIgoTZmr56yaCJiEV_1a8xriNhGWWmalnB1DAsQjq7-CBoADCEUPYpluT10OQ&sa=X&ei=uS6OUdTkBoOXPcnzgeAP&ved=0CCYQwg4&biw=1366&bih=624#imgrc=XFmPztI0HXsd2M%3A%3BFD2KZbk9dDlSXM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fvrap.co.uk%252F760_wm.php%253Fsrc%253Dimg%252F760_4391.jpg%2526p%253D86%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.vrap.co.uk%252Fphotographs%252Faerial%252Fuk%252F86%3B760%3B507)

The Inspection

Jamee-Lee Fleming / February 24, 2013May 11, 2013 / Uncategorized

“How am I affected? What do I feel? What do I perceive? And what do I experience” (Pearson 2010, p. 22)

As I went round the back of the grandstand, there were a set a horse stables which were derelict. There was a door which had “no authority” signed onto it. Inside had individual compartments stuffed with old planks of wood and tree branches pressed down with metal barred doors with a lock on. So not only was the Grandstand an abandoned building but also its surroundings. There was fresh hoof prints in the mud which gave the signal that there are horses still around. Next door to the old stables where a new set of other ones, this gave the impression that the old stables were not getting used for a certain reason.

We also saw that the announcement speakers had been taken down, Danny came up with the idea of the Grandstand losing its voice towards the society of what it had been. This goes back to how the site can be portrayed as a prison because of it not allowing to have a voice and feeling of being alone.

As we were searching the grounds of the Grandstand, I felt as though I was trespassing because the only people that was there were we. Especially because this was my first visit around the site, it made me feel uncomfortable and very unwelcoming. This sets questions in my head such as does anyone else feel the same way and is that why you never seen around there? Why does it not get used regularly? Maybe I won’t feel alien to it when I visit more.

Investigation: Images of space.

Charlotte Restall / February 24, 2013May 13, 2013 / Uncategorized

Everyday spaces go unnoticed by the world. These unnoticed spaces show a “disquieting familiarity of the city” ((Certeau, Michel de (1988[1984]) The Practice of Everyday Life, trans. Steven Rendall, Berkeley, Calif. London : University of California Press. p. 96.)), they may be acknowledged for their existence and use but not used. It seems as though most people don’t have time to appreciate things for their potential and therefore “to walk is to lack a place” ((Certeau, Michel de (1988[1984]) The Practice of Everyday Life, trans. Steven Rendall, Berkeley, Calif. London : University of California Press. p. 103.)), this suggests ‘dead’ space between points. However, the space you use while walking could be interacted with. For example: a hallway between rooms where it’s function serves to connect two or more rooms. By exploring these sorts of unnoticed spaces in different ways it creates a new meaning for them. As a task we were able to give a new use for these spaces then use free writing to create a response to the site.

Free writing in response to image:

Lonely. Alone. Stillness like a button. Chosen. Choice. Decaying city. Metal ice cold hard shiny surface. The coldness burns. Ache, torn between metal and flesh. Symmetrical symmetry Mirror image of a lifeless face. Mirror. Cold and empty like a grave. Stillness in death. Death. Dead. Dead cold icy stare searing into a heart. Heart beating strong, death. Stop. Dead. Cold. Ice. Bitter face.