The Manchester (UK) Wheel is back, along with the Christmas Markets (mid November). I like the wheel, it has a dynamism which is enhanced by its temporary nature. Every city should have one. This wheel is the one that stood out so prominently on the axis between the Arch de Triomphe and the Louvre in Paris.
I have produced an art print of the wheel which I think shows its life, colour and vibrancy.
Here is a selection of my other images of the Manchester Wheel
King's College Chapel Cambridge is one of the most remarkable and dramatic interiors (and exteriors) in the UK. I just keep going back to it over and over again. This shot of the King's College Grounds with the tudor gothic pinnacles goalposting the lawnmower man was taken from the tower of Saint Mary's Church.
Many visitors miss one of the most important parts of the building. Take a look at the wooden stalls and chancel screen and you will see one of the earliest examples of the English Renaissance.
You can read more about the screen here
This image was taken in 2004 on a photographic trip down to Shrewsbury and Hereford. It is of a Sheela-na-gig corbel at Kilpeck Herefordshire.
Saint Mary and Saint David's Parish Church Kilpeck is a jewel of Romanesque sculpture. The exterior corbel table consists of 23 (originally 24) lively sculptures based upon worldly themes.
One such corbel is the Sheela-na-gig, often thought of as a fertility symbol. What is certain is that it is designed to have an impact and that it's form shows the influence of pagan symbolism on the Christian religion.
There are many theories as to why such symbolism was used and where the source of such imagery may have come from. Some think that the Bestiary is an influence. Others think that the ring of corbels is a symbolic worldly ring around the kingdom of God.
Whatever the source, it makes for striking imagery, even in today's secular world.
You can read all about the Romanesque sculpture at Kilpeck at the remarkable site entitled The Corpus of Romanesque Sculpture in Britain and Ireland . On the site, look out for Ron Baxter's description of the Sheela- na-gig - its just as lively as the sculpture itself!
You can view all of my images of Kilpeck here
For a fascinating blog on church architecture see James Fielding's blog here
The Sheela-na-gig image is available as a print in the following formats:-
1. Framed Print
2. Poster
3. Greeting Card
4. Postcard
5. 2006 Calendar
This is a composite image of me (I couldn't get anybody else to model for this one!) in the proverbial... The image is a mixture of 3d imagery composed on Carrerra and finished in Photoshop. The photo of me is a standard stock shot taken in a studio. The original is here
In Photoshop, it took about 8 layers including background, house, me, shadow, reflection, adjustment layers.
The image took around 8 hours to produce including studio time.
It has been used in magazine and newspaper articles about relationships (surprisingly enough).
The image on the left is part of a frieze taken of a building under threat of demolition.
One of my main working principles when photographing a building is to try and capture its essence, and the identity of the people who built it, worked and lived in it; particularly when the building is under threat or at risk. This way the images I make can be used as a sort of cultural swatch to help provide a greater range of nutrients to any new development or to any interior refurbishment.
This brings to mind a fascinating article in November's BLUEPRINT magazine. Entitled : FRUITS OF LABOUR. It describes the remarkable philosophy behind the latest Timberland Boot Company Store development. The company has taken over a historic building (former banana warehouse) in Spitalfields, London, and through a philosophy of understanding the building, helped restore a delapidated structure. They have also created a fascinating retail space which helps build bridges with the fiercly conservative community. To Quote Blueprint "Russell Ashdown, who headed up the project at Checkland Kindleysides, describes the creative process as being more 'investigative archaeology' than retail design. Intensive research was done into the sites history.......In this way the look and feel of the store would grow organically out of the site itself. Not only would Timberland save money but a piece of local history would be left intact."
This sort of approach doesn't always apply just to buildings, but also to whole townscapes and cityscapes. Today I had a meeting in my local town which has a wonderful conservation area but has been affected by the unimaginative placement of a traffic island (in the 1970's) which effectively split the town in two and cauterized the lifeblood from the area. New planning decisions and developments should grow out of our local communities in the same way that Timberland has shown with the Spitalfields development.
Blueprint Magazine: www.blueprintmagazine.co.uk
