The British Institute of Human Rights Workshop

Sylvia
Photo by Jo Howell 2011

The workshop at the Welford Centre in Gosforth went remarkably well. We had quite a few people from the centre in the morning who joined us for a discussion about Human Rights and the importance of Rights Act in their lives.

Everyone joined in and had some story or insight to share about Human Rights and their personal lives.

Peter
Photo by Jo Howell 2011

After lunch we were very pleased to see that everyone had returned full of excitement to get on with their creative response to our discussions. The polaroid camera went down a storm with each individual either using the camera themselves or directing their own photographs. As all of the people involved had varying learning difficulties some were able to write their own ideas down whilst others described to us what they wanted to say.

Simon
Photo by Jo Howell 2011

"Article 8

Right to respect for private and family life

1Everyone has the right to respect for his private and family life, his home and his correspondence.

2There shall be no interference by a public authority with the exercise of this right except such as is in accordance with the law and is necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security, public safety or the economic well-being of the country, for the prevention of disorder or crime, for the protection of health or morals, or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others."                                                  - Human Rights Act, government website 26/11/2011
In particular we asked people in the workshop to consider this article in the Human Rights Act, as we quickly realised that family, and in fact a private life, was very important to the people who attended the workshop. Many of the people in the workshop lived in care homes or sheltered accommodation, and having choices about where they live or who they live with is a very important element of the care system.

Thomas
Photo by Jo Howell 2011

Overall we had a fantastic day talking to the people at the Welford Centre, and as far as we can tell they also had a brilliant time that also helped them to think about the importance of Human Rights in a very personal way. Everyone received a scanned copy of their work and all of the originals will be displayed alongside my own response in an exhibition on the 10th December 2011 at the Centre for Life, Newcastle, supported by Arcadea Disability Arts and The British Institute of Human Rights.

David
Photo by Jo Howell 2011

I have blurred out people's faces to protect their identities online but you can view the original work in all of its glory if you come along to the exhibition.
Hope to see you there!
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Responding to Human Rights

Close up of Research 1
By Jo Howell 2011

As part of the project with Arcadea Disability Arts, and The British Institute of Human Rights, I will be delivering a workshop tomorrow with my group to help raise awareness about The Human Rights Act and its importance. This is the workshop where I will be using Polaroid film to inspire the participants to make a creative response to the subject, so I am very excited to see what kind of results tomorrows workshop will have! (See Perfectly Polaroid blog entry.)

We have also been given a budget and asked to create out own artistic response to the project that will be shown in the Centre for Life, Newcastle on 10th December 2011. I have decided to include the processes that I am using to produce the work in this blog to give loyal readers a sneak peek, and as a sort of "work in progress" journal for myself.

Close up of Research 2
By Jo Howell 2011

I began by taking photographs of the pieces of research that are the most relevant or interesting. I re-photograph images and text so that I can carefully control whats in focus, what's out of focus, lighting and framing. Re-photography is not only a tool for highlighting the parts that I don't want you to miss, it is a form of appropriating artwork or articles from the media into my own work, using iconography that you may already have seen or have some understanding of. Thank you Richard Prince!

Corner Detail Layer 1
By Jo Howell 2011

I then apply the images to the canvas to create a large collage, I encourage a certain amount of bubbles and folds in the process to create more texture as the other layers are built up. The initial layer is an overwhelming collection of carefully butted-up, over-lapped and juxtaposed images to create an intense and information rich background texture.

Layer 1 BIHR Project
By Jo Howell

After a full night of drying whilst carefully weighted the canvas is ready to have paint applied to it. Each separate layer will need to be dried completely before the next is applied.

Layer 2 BIHR Project
By Jo Howell

To make the image feel enclosed, framed, or as one coherent image I roughly apply a black acrylic outline to each edge. This will also add a prominent shadow to any folds or bubbles so they will show up better in layer 3, and it hides the joins of the paper for a cleaner edge.

There will be more to come in the next few days with images from the workshop and more of the work as it progresses...

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Perfectly Polaroid- The rest of the test

Polaroid film test- film 1
By Jo Howell 2011

I was fairly pleased with the results from the first round of film testing, (by first round I mean only round I can afford before the workshop with Arcadea next week). I tried the film in a number of different light situations to see the different effects.

I found that the flash on the top of the camera was not really powerful enough for indoor shooting so I will take along a couple of flash units and an umbrella to the workshop, once set to slave function the flashes will go off simultaneously to the camera enabling me to have more control of the light.

Polaroid Test 4- Ben taking Photo's
By Jo Howell 2011

I really like this test shot of my friend Ben playing with the camera he got last christmas, it has a genuine 70's feel in the flat light of an overcast day. I also think I managed to keep the camera more steady for this image so it's a lot sharper than some of the others.

Polaroid Test 5- Polaroid of a Polaroid
By Jo Howell 2011

This image is shot sitting next to the window in the pub, upon Ben's suggestion we paid homage to the front cover DVD design of Memento. 

Polaroid Test 7- Sunset over wall
By Jo Howell 2011

I thought I would show you this test shot that was taken at sunset to show the polaroid's surprising ability of capturing the colour. 

The workshop will be next week and I will be using the polaroids as a way for the participants to engage with Human Rights issues that effect them. Hopefully we can create some interesting set-up images, and get some interesting text or marks (perhaps portions of the Human Rights Act) written upon the polaroids themselves.

Come back soon to find out how the Silvertone film works, and how the project goes.

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Perfectly Polaroid

Polaroid Camera and Test 3 by Jo Howell 2011

In light of the Human Rights project that I am doing with Arcadea disability arts, I thought that an interesting way to respond to the brief and to get people of all abilities creatively involved in the workshop on the day would be to get the participants to direct their own Polaroid image and to then get them to write a connected thought or Human Rights statement onto the image.

Polaroid Test 1- Helma Rud's work by Jo Howell

I received my film from The Impossible Project yesterday, and was desperate to see the effects of this new type of Polaroid camera compatible film before I take it into the workshop for the project. So using my time wisely in the Creative Cohesion Gallery I set about doing a few tests. 

Polaroid Test 2- Mike Davis work by Jo Howell

Polaroid Test 1 came out fairly wishy washy and I realised that this was because I had forgotten to keep the film at body temperature once exposed, so for Test 2 I kept the image warm inside my top. The colours came out much better but could probably do with a bit more light when the actual shot is being taken.

Polaroid Test 3- Criss Chaney work by Jo Howell

Polaroid Test 3 had a much better tonal range, the Polaroid 600 camera that I am using is not in the best nick and I think this is the reason for the soft focus. However, as I am of the embrace the mistake persuasion I actually quite like the quality garnered from this process.

I also received some Silver Tone film but will hold onto the rest of the film for use in the workshop. 

Polaroid 3 tests by Jo Howell

I have 5 shots left in camera that I will shoot in different conditions to get a true idea of the capabilities of the film in cold temperatures, warm temperatures, low light and lots of light.

Keep an eye out in the next few days for round 2 of the tests!

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