Collaborative documentary

Exercise 49 - visit the the web pages of the "Kingsmead Eyes" project; the original project done in 2009 and the latest "Kingsmead Eyes Speak" project.

Make notes in your learning log about how the work is presented on the website, in particular the use of mixed media - stills, video and audio.

Whilst researching photographers for this topic I came across Gideon Mendel and commented on two of his projects:

1. Through Positive Eyes, Mumbai, India
2. Kingsmead Eyes Speak

I found his work very interesting - his conceptualisation, his execution and his method of subsequent communication.

From my previous post:

Kingsmead Eyes Speak

Another project by Mendel, focuses on the Kingsmead school in Hackney and a group of 28 pupils aged 10 and 11. The children were again taught how to use a camera and sent off to photograph their surroundings - the eyes part of the project. In addition they were required to write a poem as a theme for their images. The images were not made into a video as before, instead the children read their poems aloud and we can hear this - the speak part of the project.

Children are naturally creating and (I believe) have a natural eye for an image and this comes through very strongly with their images. What did surprise me was how very good there were at poetry. I particularly enjoyed Karolina, her images and poetry were excellent; and Mikotaj's poem about his brother being an alien made me laugh.

The 'work' - images and poems - were done by the children, both as a way to communicate their world to the outside world. Whilst both narratives are about the children, they are not linked  - not a visual and verbal  account of the same situation; as such are presented separately. I think adds strength to the body of work because you are given two opportunities to engage with the pupils.

This time around I listened to and read more of the work and I am still impressed by the quality, their vivid imaginations and their sense of humour.