Art has left the Building
Re:Call Interview
Geraldine Marshall
1) When were you at Bournville School of
Art?
2006-2010.
2) What course did you study here?
BA(hons) Visual Arts by Negotiated Study
(full time).
3) Who were your tutors?
Steve Bulcock, Sean O’Keeffe, Kevin
Harley, Ruth Claxton
4) What area did you specialize in?
Lettering/ typography
5) What memories do you have of your
first day at Bournville School of Art?
Very apprehensive, have I
made the right decision. The focus on the course was very much on the term
‘negotiated’, so basically it was self directed how you as a student directed
your own area of study. I had just found
out I was expecting my first child, who arrived the following year during my
study so I did produce a Bournville Art baby, Oh and the introduction to ‘Tom Jones’ who designed the course talking
to us fresher’s and thinking what an unfortunate name to have, by association.
6) What memories do you have of your
final show at Bournville School of Art?
Thank goodness that is all over (in a
good way), and a sense of achievement of finally completing my first degree as
a ‘mature’ student, mixed with a sense of sadness it had come to an end.
7) What piece did you do for your final
show at Bournville and could you describe it?
I made amongst other items a
three-dimensional 8ft sculptural letter formation of several abstract letters
elements amalgamated together, suggesting the creation of a new typeface Bastardised. To support this I presented a display case of
the visual research of the development of Bastardised from the photographic
documentation of lettering within the urban environment to its printed form.
8) Could you give just five words to
describe your experience at Bournville School of Art?
Sometimes: I’ll get my coat now.
Mostly: Enjoyable. Challenging.
Frustrating. Hard Work.
9) Could you indicate what creative
activity you have done since your time at Bournville?
I am now a postgraduate research student
so a lot of my time is taken up with the academic research of reading, and most
importantly photographing and documenting the visual language of public
lettering and typography within the environment. The title of my research is, Taxonomy
of Birmingham (UK) lettering. The aim of this research is to develop and implement taxonomy to record the typography and
lettering of a UK city - such as Birmingham. To introduce taxonomy of lettering to be used to
successfully collate, categories and analyse the graphic landscape of a city;
and to examine the city’s social, cultural, ethnic and
historical visual identity through a detailed taxonomy of lettering. Further details can be found here:
http://www.typographichub.org/research/entry/graphic-dna/
10) Could you describe your current
creative practice/ideas/work?
Academic researcher in public lettering
and typography in the environment and trying very hard to be an expert at just
about everything... it’s the nature of research and the journey of gaining new
knowledge.
11) Could you say a little about the
work you have chosen to include in the Re: Call exhibition?
As so much of my work and
study has been based around lettering and typography and the influence this has
on our everyday lives and our environment I have produced a photographic print
with all evidence of lettering removed. This work shows how type, lettering,
signs and messages in the environment are so much a part of our visual language
that they become almost invisible. By removing the signage and lettering from a
Birmingham streetscape I hope to make people look again at the graphic
landscape around with a slightly different perspective and understanding.
12) What are you working on at the
moment?
My academic research continues but my
current focus is developing taxonomy database of my research to date, which has
been a headache but I think I may have just climbed that mountain…time will
tell, again the nature of academic research lots of peaks and dips to gain
progress.
13) What are your creative plans for the
future?
Independent exhibition of research
to-date with accompanying lectures, type tours and presentations; and reading
and then a bit more reading… But most importantly ensuring that I have
contributed to the knowledge and understanding of public lettering and
typography and completing my PhD with a publication that will inspire others
with the passion for all things type and the beauty of lettering.
14) Is there anything else you would
like to add?
I do feel I was very fortunate to
participate in this project to remind myself how special Bournville School of
Art is. I will always have very fond
memories of my time there and the people I met, including life long friends
that I acquired over that period. And of
course I will always have my ‘Bournville Art baby’, Edith to remind me of the
learning curve and challenges it bought.