Research Beginnings

Research from Dazed Magazine, Youtube, NHS and Various Newspaper Reports

To start up my research I took out a laptop, through google, youtube and online newspapers, I searched for anything relevant to my subthemes. I started to look in depth at the Chernobyl disaster. After collecting various images from the Tate and V&A, I wanted a better understanding of what actually happened, and the after effects of the people who lived there. There was a film made about what happened, so I started by watching this, making notes as I went. The notes were very disjointed so I scanned them in to process further later on. After collaborating this infomation, I sorted it into digital folders, matching screen shots with artists I will look into's images and galleries that could be useful. When translating this into my sketchbook, my thought process should come across clearer to an outside reader, and also help me keep track of my time management. Once I have collected enough, my personal responses will be included among the initial pages. Picking out the images that inspire me the most from each section of research.

As my project is such a large range of subjects within a concept, I feel this technique will bring the most important parts together. Meaning when developing, reflecting on relevant images and visually communicating ideas will always be backed up. Through past projects, I have found that working in a fun, free way is the best starting point. Enabling myself to keep an open perspective of everything. This includes anything from collaging illustrations to abstract quick sketching. Using artists as opposed to designers also helps me step away from recreating collections that have been done, creating responses from artwork have been successful helping me develop more ideas in relation to moving my concept further.

As this week is dedicated to research, I feel I am on track with the amount I have, however there is so much more to look into; greater insight is needed before I can move on. Coming across a photographer, when looking at disfigurement from Chernobyl, I contacted him and asked him a few questions about his project. Sending him my response and asking for constructive criticism allowed me to understand how my work looks from a different perspective.

Through watching films and documentaries on Nazi Germany and Chernobyl, the parts that interest me most are the after effects. Seen through the Tate exhibition, the devastation overtook whatever was there before. The people affected will never un-live those moments, especially with the nuclear waste. The children born of people infected at Chernobyl were severely deformed. Many were abandoned, ringing my concept loud. These babies were certainly not designed, yet desired. Contrasting the Aryan child with the disabled babies of Chernobyl.

During Easter I am visiting Amsterdam, there I will visit the relevant sites for my concept; Anne Franks House and the Ravensbruck and Plantage Memorials. This will provide fantastic primary research on the effects of not being an Aryan child, but also will help me understand what happened to the people.