BODZINE PRESENTS: RECORD
RECORD!
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Below: The Rumps, Pentire, as captured by George Ellis on the 24 February 1940 (GE/2/CG/624), & Ellie Fullwood on the 29 August 2021
We love a dual interpretation. And in this zine, we wanted to explore ‘Record’ both as a means of documenting and collecting information in all forms, but also ‘Record’ as a musical medium, a way we connect and share stories through sound!
We love a dual interpretation. And in this zine, we wanted to explore ‘Record’ both as a means of documenting and collecting information in all forms, but also ‘Record’ as a musical medium, a way we connect and share stories through sound!
As well as a life dedicated to capturing the people and happenings of Cornwall, George Ellis also ran ‘Bodmin Music Depot’, a record shop within his Commercial and Press Photography Shop on No. 4 St Nicholas Street, and was a keen singer, pianist and painter. It seems Ellis’ life could be summed up with the word ‘Record’ and all of its connotations, and as our final zine of the ‘Roots + Routes’ project we wanted to honour this.
As well as a life dedicated to capturing the people and happenings of Cornwall, George Ellis also ran ‘Bodmin Music Depot’, a record shop within his Commercial and Press Photography Shop on No. 4 St Nicholas Street, and was a keen singer, pianist and painter. It seems Ellis’ life could be summed up with the word ‘Record’ and all of its connotations, and as our final zine of the ‘Roots + Routes’ project we wanted to honour this.
Cornwall is a place rich in musical talent - think Mick Fleetwood & Aphex Twin! We’ve explored this and celebrated some of Bodmin’s own musical legends past and present, like The Onyx & Martha Woods, each influenced by their contemporary, local musical circuit and the places they’ve been. In addition to this we wanted to document our own ‘Desert Island Discs’, gathering our favourite songs into a collective playlist for you to enjoy!
Cornwall is a place rich in musical talent - think Mick Fleetwood & Aphex Twin! We’ve explored this and celebrated some of Bodmin’s own musical legends past and present, like The Onyx & Martha Woods, each influenced by their contemporary, local musical circuit and the places they’ve been. In addition to this we wanted to document our own ‘Desert Island Discs’, gathering our favourite songs into a collective playlist for you to enjoy!
Throughout the Roots & Routes project, our zines have tapped into the vast historical potential of the Ellis Archive. His photographs are invaluable records of lived experience in Cornwall and their digitisation by Kresen Kernow has made them more accessible to a new generation. The historical significance of his photography is related to the meticulous ledgers he kept, which organise the collection and provide context to his photography. The dates, locations and names attached to the photos have allowed for uncovering stories that would otherwise have been left unknown or forgotten.
Throughout the Roots & Routes project, our zines have tapped into the vast historical potential of the Ellis Archive. His photographs are invaluable records of lived experience in Cornwall and their digitisation by Kresen Kernow has made them more accessible to a new generation. The historical significance of his photography is related to the meticulous ledgers he kept, which organise the collection and provide context to his photography. The dates, locations and names attached to the photos have allowed for uncovering stories that would otherwise have been left unknown or forgotten.
But, such a large archive can be seductive. The temptation is to see a wealth of material - encompassing everything you could want to know about Cornwall in the 20 century - and forget about the gaps. Ellis was an extraordinary photographic talent but he was just one man. What did he miss? What can’t photography, or ledgers, tell us about the past, about ourselves? We wanted to consider these gaps and think about our role in making and recording our own history. th
But, such a large archive can be seductive. The temptation is to see a wealth of material - encompassing everything you could want to know about Cornwall in the 20 century - and forget about the gaps. Ellis was an extraordinary photographic talent but he was just one man. What did he miss? What can’t photography, or ledgers, tell us about the past, about ourselves? We wanted to consider these gaps and think about our role in making and recording our own history. th
With usage of AI-generated imagery and ‘deepfakes’ increasing at breakneck speed, it may be difficult for generations to come to separate fact from fake. How we codify and organise our own lived experiences might be utterly irretrievable to someone in the future - how might people in 100 years from now learn about us? We considered this and decided to document some of our everyday routines - life so easily and quickly passes us by, so why not capture some of the mundane as well as the extraordinary?
With usage of AI-generated imagery and ‘deepfakes’ increasing at breakneck speed, it may be difficult for generations to come to separate fact from fake. How we codify and organise our own lived experiences might be utterly irretrievable to someone in the future - how might people in 100 years from now learn about us? We considered this and decided to document some of our everyday routines - life so easily and quickly passes us by, so why not capture some of the mundane as well as the extraordinary?
Some records we keep are for ourselves, not others, souvenirs of a life lived etched onto our bodies permanently, some by choice, like tattoos - traditionally used by sailors and indigenous people to commemorate milestones or loved ones, but now adopted by society at large - and some not so much by choice, like scars! Both are proof that life has happened to you and you’re still here to tell the tale.
Some records we keep are for ourselves, not others, souvenirs of a life lived etched onto our bodies permanently, some by choice, like tattoos - traditionally used by sailors and indigenous people to commemorate milestones or loved ones, but now adopted by society at large - and some not so much by choice, like scars! Both are proof that life has happened to you and you’re still here to tell the tale.
This zine is a celebration of the everyday artists and history-makers, keeping Cornish memory and culture alive. We hope you enjoy! X
This zine is a celebration of the everyday artists and history-makers, keeping Cornish memory and culture alive. We hope you enjoy! X
cording from Nostalgia
Q: So, remind me, what’s the, the theme of this ‘Bodzine’?
EF: Uh, so, the theme that we’re working on is ‘Nostalgia’ -
Q: Okay -
EF: Um… So yeah, we’ve been… uh… the first session we were, working with lego, printing with lego, and thinking about, kind of like, childhood toys, and wanting to craft in ways that are very intentionally, like, um, I guess ‘child-like’because when you’re a kid you just make stuff, you don’t think about it [inaudable]. So yeah, we wanted to do some [fun?] crafts. And then, we’ve made, some postcards - because Millie’s, uh, great auntie, uh, used to visit Cornwall all the time, and she’d buy George Ellis postcards. So we had her postcards to have a look at for one of our sessions.
AT: I cannot thread this needle…
EF: Oh, can you not? Do you want me to do it?
AT: Um, ooh…
EF: It’s a super small needle….
AT: I did it!
EF: Oh you did it! Amazing. Yeah, so we’ve just been, um, this is the um, [laughs], um, I’m currently making our Bodzine badge blanket, which a load of little badges of things we’ve done recently that we’re proud of, and wanted to celebrate.
Q: Right, and what are you making? What’s your…?
AT: I’m doing the back page, um, I’m tryna, like, embroider this bit, but I’ve learned that I could not embroider it. So I, like, did a bit of collage stuff with George Ellis photo down here, and then, expanded on it.
Q: Nice! Collaging seems to be quite a, kind of, a common theme whenever I see zines. Do, I mean, is there an… Aesthetically, it’s a nice thing to do. Is there anything else around collaging that’s kind of…
A: I’ve always done collages because, I think, the fact that you can make art from something that was originally just another article.
Q: Yeah, nice.
EF: I think it’s, um, I don’t know, it’s fun for ‘Nostalgia’ as well, because nostalgia feels like - lots of layers of stuff. And collaging is also lots of layers of stuff, and um ... everyone can, can do a collage. I’m not particularly good at, um… like fine art or painting or any other kind of, like what you’d traditionally think of as art... Whereas I find collaging quite fun and easy, and I think it’s quite an accessible art form. Because as long as you’ve got magazine, a glue stick, not even scissors - you don’t even need to cut anything, you can just use your hands - you can do it.
Q: Mh, nice. Um, with the, with ‘Roots and Roots’ being a project around people’s roots to Bodmin, and roots through Bodmin, out of the people here, who - who’s, would you say, ‘from’ Bodmin? Have you all grown up here?
A: I’ve lived - I grew up in Thailand and France.
Q: Okay - and when did you move to Bodmin?
A: Um, because, we could not buy property in Plymouth.
Q: Okay [laughs] and, so, when was that?
A: Um, I think, how long have I been… How long ago was Year 7?
AT: For you, four years ago.
A: So, a bit less than four, wait no, a bit more than four years [...] for a while... And then, nan got sick and we were just like “oh, got to take care of that”. Um, property in England’s really difficult to purchase. So we ended up in Bodmin.
A huge THANK YOU to... A huge THANK YOU to...
~ YOU! for reading this & to the following for their help in bringing this zine to life:
~The IntoBodmin Team
~Kresen Kernow
~National Lottery
Heritage Fund
~Arts Council England
~All of the talented young people of Bodmin who have contributed to the Zine!
~George Ellis, who dedicated his life to recording those of others, providing a constant source of information & inspiration, & who’s legacy will continue on for many years to come!
-BZ