A first post from Sweden!
Last time Groundswell was "active" I had the advantage of living in Derby (guess my old house is about to get demolished now). As I understand they are making some progress with the ring road again and hence the time has come for Groundswell to wake up. Some of you already know me… I lived in the Derby area for the better part of five years and did my BA in photography there (99-02). Since 2003 I reside in Sweden but hope to return for the Groundswell Two exhibition – at least for the actual exhibition period. I have some ideas for this new phase of Groundswell but… I just finished a big project dealing with my old home area in the North of Sweden (as a part of my MA studies in photography) and haven’t had the time to formulate myself around this new work yet.
It will most certainly have a focus on the site a bearer of identity. It is a rather common phenomenon in European cites to re-develop areas for new purposes -especially in cities previously having relayed on heavy industry. – My interest here is particularly on the transition period in this change and may be spiced with some more philosophical/theoretical twist… The area I’ve been looking on to start with is in Gothenburg, Sweden (we have several big re-development schemes active here) - and I only just had the first films processed and thought it would be nice to share some images with you. Not to say that these images will have much to do with the end result but this is my starting point.
It is good to see that the idea of using the blog as a tool for communication seams to work. Hope to see some more art work and discussions related to the topic soon.
/Petter
To answer the question from George I add this to my post:
I think me and Riikka (who also took a part in the first Groundswell exhibition) will collaborate on this project! We’ve talked a lot about doing something together for the past five years or so and this might be the perfect opportunity for that to happen. We both went to this site and have fairly similar ideas about the work... We've talked a lot about adding a text segment and a parallel story that would include traces from the previous occupiers (similar to what Riikka did when she used the legal documents from Wilson Street 59 in Groundswell one) this combined with something more philosophical (and most likely critical) on the phenomena of melancholy and romanticising of a abandoned place…
2 Comments:
These images almost look as though they have been taken in a desert region, I feel the idea of looking at other regions would add to the work here in Derby.
The images are a strong indicator of what could be achieved. We need to start somewhere.
I like what I see in the examples shown..... and yeah the blog is starting to work...
Having recently been on an excursion myself to Devon where I have been photographing an abandoned Polish Refugee Camp (post ww2). I have been thinking of diversifying my ideas with my current Derby works (see first post) in which I need to get back too.
Is Riikka wrking with on on this project, will she be involved...?
We will be having our first meeting on Saturday...
Yes I think me and Riikka will collaborate on this project! We’ve talked a lot about doing something together for the past five years or so and this might be the perfect opportunity for that to happen. We both went to this site and have fairly similar ideas about the work... We've talked a lot about adding a text segment and a parallel story that would include traces from the previous occupiers (similar to what Riikka did when she used the legal documents from Wilson Street 59 in Groundswell one) this combined with something more philosophical (and most likely critical) on the phenomena of melancholy and romanticising of a abandoned place…
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