Judith's Art: Rough Guide

A long days journey into light

I began my journey at the famous and expensive shop, Liberties. It is elegant and well designed, and I was delighted by its rafters, and displays. I used the samples that I had selected during my visit, to make my first piece – a fabric map of the streets of my wanderings

This fabric is Sydenham Hall

I was fascinated by these fabric samples from Libertys, with their lines and points, but in natural shapes. I made a grid of them like a map of the city to contrast their natural look.

I wandered out into the busy streets. At first it was difficult to make the first movement towards strangers. But I found that, as an artist, I could talk to people in a new way- and they would respond positively. They were interested in my project and would pose for me. I discovered that I had the courage to start talking to people, and that they were interested in what I was doing, interested in art. People are usually in such a hurry, but I was able to turn busy shoppers into mannequins.

I was not only surprised by people. I also discovered that places had hidden meanings when you looked more deeply. The African fabric I found in an expensive shop in Dover Street surprised me.

It brought memories of my childhood in Africa, evoked images, and wonder. I began to look at things more closely- to see what was hidden from me at first glance, and from different angles. Uninteresting, broken objects captured my attention. I saw connections between objects found on the street.

I collected these unwanted objects. I was astonished to find so many coins- and even more astonished that one said “Liberty”! There were so many echoes, and repeated marks.

I visited two galleries and found in one a piece that played with light like points of interest on a map. Maps. Connections. Echoes.

As it got dark, I tried to capture these ideas of light, shape and movement. Lights making patterns. Lights, shapes. I discovered that I can create patterns using the camera to capture and play with light/lights. I want to develop this idea further.

I enjoyed manipulating different materials in a mixed media approach, which I used in this project.

Liberty

I was interested in the Liberty building, especially the ceiling, because it has a fascinating structure- like the lines of streets or alleyways. Little streets-high street. Like a map where all points combine in one specific place.

The ceiling in Liberty's

Carpets

Liberty’s mapped out its carpet floor. I have never seen before a map of where carpets come from.

Tables

Like a map of the points /where you can find the points. The tables are like little islands- I am fascinated by how Liberty displays their products. It is open, and yet clearly “traced”.

After my little wander, I had a chat with this happy Liberty’s customer. He kindly posed like a mannequin.

Top Shop

I stood and watched people coming in and out

Voila le flaneur!

The mannequin looks at the flaneur

(Le mannequin qui regard le flaneur)

I like the contrast:

the mannequin looks at the flaneur

The “model” looks straight ahead

A helpful shopper models for me in front of a flanneur and a window full of mannequins

African print found in Dover Street market

By moving the material as I took the photo, I created an image like lights

I started to look more

closely at the street.

A view with cocked head

A discovery opposite the RA

Lights disappearing into a tunnel

An old dirty letterbox

A contrast to Dover street

I began to see more everywhere

Railings, street art

Connecting images

Things unwanted

An abandoned receipt
I began to be interested in lost objects, unwanted objects. In this very expensive place, you see dirt, litter, discarded cigarettes. You expect a higher standard in such a street. Because everything was so pricey, I began to be more interested in things that had no price. Discarded items, things thrown away.

A note an aide-memoire