Alternate Endings. Helen C Jones

Transcription

1 Alternate Endings Helen C Jones

2 This project is a response to the ever increasing levels of consumption and disposal seen today across Western societies. It was inspired by two things; the first was my dissertation topic, and the second was a large pile of household objects that gathered at the bins at the bottom of my road every week, waiting to be taken out of the hands of their uninterested owners. Once taken, these objects are forgotten, but they don t just disappear. They still exist and many of them still have great potential. Why do we form such fickle connections to the objects we relentlessly consume, and can this ever be changed? This project hopes to inspire a new way of thinking towards the disposal of our objects.

3 Contents Section One The Value of Repair Section Two Repair, Reinvent, Recomplete Can I reinstate an objects value? Part One Part Two Part Three Section Three Fix Up restoration Service with example

4 Section One: The Value of Repair A great influence in the direction of my work came from understanding the Kintsugi Philosophy. This was my starting point in terms of research. I became fascinated by the fact that an object could potentially increase in value after having been repaired, where normally it may just be thrown.

5 Further inspiration

6 A repair mission inspired by the Kintsugi Philosophy Does actively repairing an object yourself increase your connection to it? And how easy is it to perform a simple repair? Factors I was taking into consideration - Time Cost Distance Effort Result

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9 Findings Cost 95p Distance travelled 2.9 miles Time taken 2 hours 17 minutes Effort the increase in effort was made easier by the low cost

10 What was the last object you repaired? I honestly can t remember. I got my phone screen repaired, does that count? A hole in my favourite jeans I cant actually think of anything A zip. The shower head

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12 Mini introductory project The 9 Lives of the Mug Research through material experimentation (Shown here are the most successful 5 lives) Why the mug? A mug is an everyday object that often has little value or importance in our lives. In general they also have a short life span. Can I repair a broken mug in a way that can extend this lifespan, combining aesthetic qualities and different techniques for a thought provoking outcome?

13 First Life Kintsugi experimentation

14 Second Life Emergency Handle Inspiration found on Andrew Basemen blog

15 Third Life

16 Fourth Life

17 Fifth Life

18 Section Two Repair verb (used with object) 1. restore to a good or sound condition after decay or damage; mend: to repair a motor.

19 Searching for broken and repaired objects

20 Repair PLANE

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22 Repair BOWL Butterfly joint A Dovetail key, Dutchman Joint, or Butterfly joint is a type of joint used either to hold two or more wooden boards together or to keep two halves of a board that have already started to split from splitting further. How can I take a traditional butterfly join and use it to enhance the qualities of the broken bowl?

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24 Repair PIPE Testers and samples. Experimenting with colours and the addition of other materials in the resin Resin beautifully brings out the grain in the Yew Using digital drawings made with the samples to project what it may look like as the real thing

25 Testing creating a mold that will allow be hollow when cast with resin

26 Pipe Three wooden repair

27 Pipe tests and samples - testing shape and practicing making it hollow

28 Repair GIRAFFE

29 The repair Process Testers Deciding on form, colour, wood type, functionality The chosen leg based on shape and colouring of the wood making it more believable

30 Reinvent to bring back; revive:

31 Giving old objects a brand new lease of life

32 Reinvent CHAIR How can I reinstate value with this discarded chair? Factors to consider: No elements are to be added so be realistic with what is achievable in terms of material Is it possible to keep any visual qualities of the original chair? Is it actually possible to achieve any level of value at all? Why a lamp? In 2002 IKEA realised an advert for part of their "Unböring" campaign. It featured a discarded lamp left outside in the rain. The advert goes on to say that whilst you may fee l sorry for this lamp, you shouldn't because the lamp has no feelings and the new one is much better. This promotion of consumerism and disposal worked, and IKEA saw an 8% increase in sales whilst the advert aired. The creation of alamp is my response to this advert. The chair I found on the side of the road is much like the featured lamp, and whilst IKEA may be right and new one be much better, this is my way of attempting to prove them wrong.

33 Designing and testing making a working mechanism using the old screws and brackets from the chair. Threading before and after photo

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36 The Process

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40 Reinvent PEWTER Summary of initial ideas, process and experiments - Each pewter item was found at a car boot sale, and in total I paid 75p for the 3 items. This shows their lack of value. How can I increase their value without the addition of any other materials? Sketches, quick drawings looking at form Material research experimenting with one piece mold making, casting a spoon How can it be reinvented?

41 Step Two the final model Idea create something more complex. I wanted to reinvent the pewter into something with several components that come together, so the object has more of an impact. The final idea is to create a functional pen knife, 100% made from the pewter and nothing else. Images showing the process of the creation of the pen knife Results from attempt one the mold was faulty causing holes in the body of the knife. Samples from casting the corkscrew.

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45 Recomplete VERB 1 [WITH OBJECT] To complete again.

46 Recomplete A LONELY LID

47 Jesmonite samples testing for colours working well with the wood. Mid way through disasteras I was turning the bowl a knot caught on the lathe and it broke off, shattering the bowl in places. How can this be resolved?

48 I wanted to connect the spoon to the lid. I tested resin samples using different amounts of bronze and brass filler, and settled on the two combined creating the closest match to the lid.

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50 Recomplete COPPER HANDLE

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54 Recomplete A wooden Handle

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58 Copper tube rivet test

59 Annealing accident (solder caught on hot copper) start again or make the best of what has happened?

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61 IN CONTEXT (digital drawing) ALTERNATE ENDINGS CAR BOOT was value

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63 Section three Research Questions Is it possible to create a unique restoration service that can be tailored to individual people and objects? Would this service lead to a more successful object life extension?

64 The Creation of Fix up

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66 Easy navigation around the website

67 The Participation page is the page that has all the information needed to start your Fix Up experience.

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69 Step break down of how the F ix Up service works with a worked example There are seven simple steps to completed the restoration service STEP ONE The establishing photo. This image should try and get a feel for the person and the object, and should also capture why the object is in need of the Fix Up service

70 STEP TWO The participant completes the Participation Form. The form is found on the participation page. The idea of the form is to get deliver as much information about the person and object. This is one of the most crucial stages as the outcome is based on the information given STEP THREE The form is returned to me via

71 STEP FOUR Based on the information given, I create a design board containing several thought out responses. I try and provide as much detail in the drawings as possible for the participant to chose from.

72 STEP FIVE The participant communicates their feedback and choses a design STEP SIX The restoration process begins

73 STEP SIX The final design The exchange of the object also provides the perfect time to take the concluding photo with the restored object back in use

74 The Concluding Image

75 STEP SEVEN The participant downloads and completes the feedback form this aids with improving the how the service runs for then next person

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