Devoid of Sight:
Unable to see I felt at risk from the slightest of life's basic dangers. I could have knocked myself out on a lam post without the aid of my guiding partner. With only sound and touch available to define my current position, I was lost. Abuse from the public due to making myself into a spectacle. Its a beautiful thing sight and to be without it we miss out on a whole aspect of life. For me it is virtually impossible to create sketches as it was hard enough walking in a straight line.
My sculpture represents the blind. I walked through Portsmouth on my route with a comlete absence of light, I could only rely on touch, smell and my hearing. My sculpture symbolises the blind man touching a tree-like form, to interact with his environment. The figure seems to be literally and directly passing through the tree-like shape. The black pebels at the base represent the texture beneath my feet: tarmak. Also, it gives the model a texture one can feel and experience. The sculpture itself is made of paper to represent the fragile nature of a blind man in our every day world.
Helper (Devoid of Sight):
Though out the route I became more aware of danger, noise and space. Traffic, people and obstacles, which I would usually pay no attention to. I suddenly found myself anxious and under pressure to keep my partner safe. Small paces, walls, bollard and traffic sign poles became a hazard rather than part of the scenery. These and my partner took all of my attention throughout the route, which completely changed the way I experienced it. I also found my partner walked towards noise i.e. traffic and people, making the walk more dangerous and adding to my anxiety.
My model of the route represent our path through Portsmouth in a number of different ways, the outer white layer reflects the clean, modern facade tourists and advertisers see and use to represent the city. but within this there is an old, timeless heart, decaying yet still beautiful. I have used a withered rose in the centre of my model to symbolise this. as light hits the model the shadows created by the white strips of card create road linking the outer modern facade to the centre and heart of Portsmouth. These roads were also the focus of my walk as the helper to the devoid of sight. the strips of card also create a cocoon encapsulating the idea of reality being all around us.
Devoid of Hearing:
Without the sense of hearing, all my other senses seemed slightly more aware.
On my journey through Portsmouth I noticed far more than I would have if I were able to hear. Things that were written, for example advertising or graffiti, which I would have ignored usually, became far more apparent. Also smells, such as the sea air and fumes from cars and busses became very apparent.
On my route I picked up several objects that smelt like the sea; stones, sticks etc I then used these to create a model, expressing my journey. The model is based on the many ships and sails that I picked up upon with my enhanced vision and smell. 
Helper (Devoid of Hearing):
Being a helper to a devoid of hearing changed the whole atmosphere of the route.
I imagined myslef in James' position, which made me realise that depending on the surroundings I experienceed on the route, each place made me react in particular ways, sometimes just because of the smells, vegetation... You get more sensitive in the way you look, visualise and interpret.
After walking the route a couple of times, really concentracting on the smallest details, taking notes and sketching, these got me very interested because it was never the same, always something that catches your attention.
The route was divided into parts. Each part was totally different from one another which I did not notice at first.
This experience made me look further and deeper that I would have done before.
My model represents the shape of out route with the arcs showing how the journey gets divided up into various sections. The silver balls are representing busyness and the foil around reflecting realness.
5 Year Old Boy:
I think the route was nice. It was nice because I could climb on the railings and try to balance on the curb. I also enjoyed kicking the leaves around and jumped in the puddles also. There was alot of really tall buildings on the way, one of which looked like a rocket! Whilst running around I touched everything I could, from walls to leaves and trees to glass windows! The feel of these things was fun! It was also pretty! I liked the big boat we saw though I wasn't allowed to touch it. The route overall was very fun! it was like a playground. I could run around playfully touching everything I saw! I liked it alot
Mother (Helper of 5 Year Old Boy):
As a mother, I had to look out for dangers that a 5 year old (my son...refere to section above) may experience. I found the main danger was traffic and distractions which could have drawn the child into trouble. Also, children shops and sweet stands (especially in Gunwarf) would have been something to look out for as my child would want to go to them and possibly cause a fuss.
As I did the walk as the parent of a five year old, my model rapresents the dangers a child could encounter along the route. I used a teddy bear as it is a distraction which would lead the child to danger. I then ran him over, drowned him, and hurt him... all dangers which a child could encounter along the route.
Monk:
How does that relate to the developing area of Portsmouth?
Significant landmarks/ features:
- Spinnaker tower
- Gunwarf
- Victory & Warrior
- Classical architecture vs modern
- Artillery/ ship decoration – models
Chosen symbol: Spinnaker tower
I used a photograph as reference to create my model. The photograph chosen pans the skyline, as I thought this would best represent the spinnakers relationship with the rest of the surrounding area; not the stone ruins to the right of the photograph.
Before I set out on my route, I thought how a monk would perceive the world; I did some research which lead me to discover the outline of the 4 main mantras and completing the eightfold path.
After learning this, I realised a monk would not be accustomed to the materialistic ways of Portsmouth commercial centre. I tried to represent this through my model – all the materials are natural objects I found along the way, with the exception of the binding material.
The model contains no straight lines, which I felt was an important factor, as nature contains no straight lines. From a more abstract point of view, the base of my model forms a collation of new and old; represented through fresh, crisp green leaves and fallen crunchy golden leaves.
I took my journey twice, both during the day when it was not particularly busy. This would affect my overall perception. The waters were tranquil and it was possible for me to find a place of solitude in which to relax and meditate. This providing a comfortable environment for the slower pace of a life of the monk.
My model represent a modern structure through natural products, thus demonstrating the move from natural history – using products from the surrounding environment to show a modern aspect of society.
ASBO'd Female Teenager:
As a teenager with an ASBO you would be likely to have a very bleak view on life which would only be reinforced by the fact that you just recieved an ASBO. you would also probably be feeling hostile towards strangers. While walking the route, my character would probably be absorbed in their own problems making it likely they would probably spend most of their time looking at the floor.
Above, the model rapresents society sorrounding the emarginated ASBO teenager.
27 Year Old Female Itinerant:
My persona very interesting and thought envoking mainly because Ifelt very isolated throughout the route's surroundings. I felt that I idn't feel that my character fitted in anywhere. It was as if Iwas constantly being shunned especially in the consumer areas such as gunwharf quays. I actually felt quiet outcast myself even though I asn't homeless myself.
Part of my task was to construct a sculpture of objects collected along the way and this idea of isolation and outsider issues was what i kept in mind whilst gathering. I thought more of how my character would feel and how I could convey this in a sculpture.
My sculpture I made is very symbolic, the football was a disguarded in an alleyway along with the rubbish on the sides of it, and the card it sits on. The football represents a home and shelter outside of the consumer driven world that homeless people are isolated from. Where as the card is drawn with gunwharf quays on to represent the outside world away from the homeless shelter. Because of this I think that it incorporates the idea of sadness and isolation that I felt.
When I was walking my route I didn't really take in a lot, I just kept a rough observation of where we were going and the general environment. But in particular the one thing which stood out was the shape and form of the Portsmouth Grammar School's architecture. Therefore my idea concept comes directly from the shapes and forms of the school's frontage. The dominant tall conical shape of my model is reminiscent of the windows of the school making up the main front view. The wooden poles running through the center of the model represent the journey which we took to Eldon. My idea encompasses the aspects which I found interesting and the actual journey although in an almost abstact way.
Dog of Itinerant:
There was once a humble shaggy Dog called Musty, this is his adventure, a very Real adventure:
Musty is used to seeing things the way he does, but on this very special occasion a dog will lead you down the streets of Portsmouth.
“The road is close, the archways and sky tower above, they seem completely untouchable...well, for a dog they are! That doesn't bother me though, the things that I'm interested in are on the floor, all the good stuff lives down there! Chewing gum and children's sweets just to name a few. I've always been called a curious dog but I think thats all of us, I mean who doesn't like to smell where others have been. I can even tell which dog p***'d where. The most annoying thing about having this collar type thing around my neck is always getting tugged by her, (the one who holds the lead) and its always at the wrong moment! Just when i want to leave my scent upholstered to the lamppost!
Smell is everything when your a dog, it helps you retrace your steps if she's lost?? it also helps me protect her, I can smell when people have down something wrong. You see us dogs can smell if humans have done anything wrong, they emit a smell they like to call fear. Bizarre i know, i just get a little down if she tells me to be quiet when I'm trying to warn her...she always uses that B-word, Barking or something?? 'STOP BARKING' she always says.
Because of this, people often walk well clear of me, like I'm prone to biting or something silly, well actually i suppose thats not too far from the truth really is it. The biggest difference being like me is colour...its kind of not there, we see in black and white and all its many gradients: all types of gray! Its all we need, like i said, our smell is most important”.
80 Year Old Man:
I had to walk the route as an 80 year old man, when I was walking the route I found that when I started I was surrounded by students walking at a fast pace, not moving out of the way of me, barging past. I went past the lion gate and the nanny family services/ charities building; it reminded me of when I was at sea working for the navy. It made me feel old and made me smile about the memories I have. Trying to cross the road down there now is a nightmare, there’s so much traffic about it, its unbelievable!
I walked past a surgery that used to be open and was well looked after, but now it’s boarded up and messy. There were also other buildings in disrepair, graffiti and stained. I went past the Royal Maritime Club. It reminded me of where I took my girlfriend and where me and my navy lads use to go for a pint.
As I walked up to Gun Warf it was nice to see the old ships and to smell the sea. Its not as busy as it once was though, there’s so many changes. Where I had just walked the Admiralty Quarter Marketing Suite was being built and there’s the new shipping centre and the Spinnaker tower. I liked the walkway into it because it reminded me of the inside or a ship. Around Gun Warf there’s a lot of tourists and the prices in half the places are way too expensive for my pension. Some of my favourite places have closed down, like the victory bar and restaurant. I found the route really far and tiring and there were some good places to site down especially on the Gun Warf front. They definitely need more places to sit down around the city though because us old people get worn out easily. The journey went through my memories and I am constantly surprised by how many changes keep going on around the city.
My model is a link from an anchor, and a seat, because my 80 year old man used to be in the navy and the route also had nautical buildings and objects along it. I saw an anchor on my route which reminded the man of his naval memories and being old, the route was tiring and he needed to sit down. So I combined the navy with a place to rest. I put these together and did a model of an anchor link which you can sit on.
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