Assignment 5 planning (part 1)

Possible topics for assignment 5...

Based in Nuneaton it's hardly surprising that George Eliot pops up as a topic each time I think about assignments. During DPP I research GE, her literature and the location and came up with an idea for an assignment. My lecturer at the time supported it, but unfortunately I couldn't find enough material so we ditched the idea; later he came back to me with an alternative take on the topic - an amalgamation of old, new and text.

The Coventry Canal system is also just on the doorstep and certainly a very engaging topic - with some derelict boat yards, others yards that have been renovated and are now in commercial operation. The re-development of the original canal basin is now a thriving arts and crafts centre with shops and cafes. Looking at archival images in comparison to today, there is definitely an opportunity to develop an interesting paired-portfolio.

The re-development of Bermuda Village and the community centre - the village (street) was built in 1882 by Sir Edward Newdigate-Newdegate to provide housing for the miners who worked in the open cast coal mine. One section of the houses was bombed in the war and never rebuilt, as part of the current re-development (a new housing estate) a memorial garden is being built for the miners. As part of the re-development the community centre, the football pitches and the bowling greens have been re-located to the other end of the village to create a no-through road. This activity provides and excellent opportunity to create a docu-diary of the development.

One on my neighbours owns Racing Pigeons and has asked if I would be interested in taking some pictures for their club, they are always looking for sponsorship to keep the wagon maintained and believe that a professional set of images would support them in their applications. The local teams are very competitive and take the sport very seriously - my neighbour breeds, trains and races birds.

The significant influx of Charity and Pound Shops - whilst this is undoubtedly a clear sign of the demise of any town, I think it may have legs as an assignment. As yet I haven't applied much thought to the subject, but its one for the list. 

WeAreOCA - A Sketchbook Walk reintroduced me to John Piper, an artist I reviewed some time ago (January 2010 to be exact) when I did an assignment on Coventry for TAOP. I'd forgotten how much I appreciated his paintings and how individual he was in his approach to a scene. In the comments for the post Paul mentions "this is psychogeography territory" and undoubtedly 4 years ago I'd have just run away, but thinking about edgelands or more specifically looking for the beautiful in the mundane and the ugly (especially in Nuneaton) really interests me and would fit well for this assignment.