This was the first site visit of the project where I started to record an overall view of the location through photography and sketching. Whilst doing this I found that the viaduct consisted of many physical boundaries, but all of these were built up of connections. The large original steel work was held together by rivets which are very visible compared to a modern welded construction. Moreover, the new development brought many standardised connections such as the scaffolding and pipework for the watering system. Initially the lead paintwork peeling off the weathered steel appears to be a collection of boundaries where small island shapes form. However, I started to see these as connections where the paint is gripping onto the surface of the steel and the patten from afar begins to form an overall uniformity. I also realised that the cracked paint drew the viewer in and created a human connection that wouldn’t be present if the paintwork was flat and consistent. Both new and old have a set system that creates connections between physical metalwork that divides the city view.
I extracted one of the connections to examine its relationship with the location. Using wire, I drew one of the scaffolding couplers and by varying the focal point, I investigated the significance of the location and connection.
On location I recorded audio of the trams going past and the continuous dripping water that interrupted the peaceful surroundings. Back in the studio I created a drawing of my view of the sounds through line and forms. I used inks and brush for their fluidity of marks and splattered the ink with force to create uncontrolled splatters emulating the dripping sounds. I don’t see these ideas progressing much further, as I believe that the visual boundaries and ideas of connections within these have more information that I can extract and take further.
During a ceramics workshop we explored layering slips and making marks with brushes and stamping. I then took this further by developing my sketches and photography into abstract slip drawings. This loose medium helped me to identify that I want to take the shapes and visible boundaries of the steelwork further into my designs.
