Interim reviewHarriet Davie

Proposal OneMural painting inspired by graffiti campaign

“Depaul UK brings in graffiti artists for London street art campaign tackling youth homelessness”Youth homelessness charity Depaul UK has launched an awareness campaign involving a group of graffiti artists who will create street art to tell young peoples’ stories. This campaign has given homeless people a voice in society. Andy Bird, executive creative director for Depaul, said: “If you live in a big city chances are you come into contact with homeless people on a regular basis, often asking for money. “It’s easy for charity fatigue to set in and forget that they’re not there out of choice, but because they come from circumstances and backgrounds which have given them little choice than to sleep rough. “By telling these kids’ stories we’re inviting people to connect with them as human beings. And using the street as a medium felt like an original and powerful way of doing it.”

In response to these interesting graffiti works I would like to create my own versions and use paint and typography as a key part of the design. The colours and font used play a important part of telling the story behind the painting. By creating a story in art, It would invite the public to feel that have a connection with the person who’s story it is.

Proposal Two Painting inspired by Thomas Ganter used for a

billboard/poster

Contextual reference:Name: Thomas GanterPractice: Artist/Illustrator From: Frankfurt, Germany Relevance to London: His portrait of a homeless man came first place at the BP Portrait awards and has been displayed in the National Portrait Gallery. His shortlisted portrait of Karel, a homeless man he encountered following a visit to a museum, invites the viewer to contemplate the coexistence of wealth and poverty. He portrays the homeless man in a manner reserved for nobles or saints, which emphasises that everyone deserves respect and care.

In response to his work, I have experimented with different poses and positions the homeless person could sit through figure drawing. The final outcome would be a painting/illustration that would be used for a poster. My best idea so far would be to have a homeless man sitting against an urban building that has a window in the background. And in the window was a reflection of the shard. This would draw a contrast upon the rich and poor successfully.

Proposal ThreePhotography poster inspired by Kathryn Prescott

Contextual reference:Name: Kathryn Prescott Profession: Actor, photographer From: LondonKathryn Prescott, London born photographer and actress, made her first solo exhibition ‘What Makes Us Care?’ which exhibited in St. Martin in the Field's Crypt Gallery in Trafalgar Square, London. The project focuses on, explores and challenges the way in which modern society desensitises the homeless and individuals in need, on the street. By photographing famous actors, she puts into perspective that we are all human.

In response to her work I took some of my own photographs of friends dressed as homeless people. For the final poster I would want the person acting as the homeless to be relatable to the public eye, kind of like how Prescott has made her images recognisable. For one of my ideas I thought of dressing my model in smart clean clothes and jewellery (as if she was working class) but photographing her on a dirty, urban background. The poster would reach out to the viewers who are working class and above and would suggest that homelessness can happen to anyone.

Chosen Proposal I have decided that I’m not going to choose one individual proposal, instead I'm going to take ideas from all three and combine them to make my final outcome. I have decided to use my first proposal to experiment using Photoshop to create a low-poly portrait as part of my development, but I don’t intend on using it for my final idea. I am going to use the idea of having the shard in the reflection from my second proposal for my final piece but as a photo instead of a painting. I will also use my idea from proposal three as my final outcome will be photographs and will display a contrast between the rich and the poor. I intend to develop my ideas using photography and Photoshop.