Bespoke Work – Eadwierd Muybridge and others
Because my work involves the use of photographic images it has always had the potential for bespoke work but it is only in the last six months that I have begun to explore this. The impetus came from the British Museum. They saw my work at the trade show Top Drawer and loved the idea of a range of cufflinks based on the architecture of the building and the collection. Many other museums and individuals had expressed interest before but the
British Museum wanted to me to design a range of cufflinks in time for Christmas.
I took my camera along to the museum and set about trying to photograph the magnificent roof of the Great Court. I took about 20 images of the roof and then wandered around the Egyptian gallery in search of inspiration. The thing with the British Museum is that it truly is inspiring – visually, anthropologically – and any way you look at it.
The hard work for me (but also perhaps the most fun part) comes afterwards when I start to look at and play with the images on screen. My initial reaction is always that it doesn’t add up to much, won’t work, won’t yield anything worthwhile. I discovered that by staying with it, printing things off, considering things over a day or two and then revisiting the images that gradually things come together. Then I fell in love with my own work – suddenly I’m happy and all is well with the world! Fortunately the people at the British museum also liked what I’d done – and that was the start of what has been to date a very happy relationship. My confidence boosted by this experience, when I was approached by
Kingston museums to do some work based around the imagery of Eadwierd Muybridge I didn’t hesitate. I remember coming across a book of images by Eadwierd Muybridge in the library when I was studying at Camberwell – fascinating! Not only visually amazing but so obviously the work of a man obsessed – and how did get so many people to take their clothes for him??
Finally I have also done some work of late for Museums Sheffield. How to capture the essence of a city in a series of tiny images? Sheffield is quite a pleasant place to visit – though I was unlucky with the weather the day I went – but it has a nice feeling about it and I can imagine it is a very nice place to live. I have been through the trauma of working with the photographs I took, I have crossed the raging torrent and reached the calm safety of the other side and am happy with what I have done. I hope very much that Museums Sheffield like it too – the next couple of weeks will reveal all!
So do I hope to do more bespoke work in the future – you bet!! – even though it is always a challenge – will I rise to the occasion – will it work? Still it’s good to challenge yourself – n’est-ce pas?
