Edited by Dhikru Kareem
Haitimishap In The Making
RESEARCH
INTRODUCTION BRIEF HAITI ORIGIN APPROACH CLAY TAGS INSPIRATION TALES FROM THE EARTH HALCYON DAYS KEEPSAKES BUY A BRICK BUILD A HOUSE SOURCE BRICK WORK IMAGE TRANSFER ON CLAY SUN-DRY BRICKS BLOG FOR HAITI FUND GROUPS BRICKS R US CHAT WITH BRICKS R US PRAYER TATE BRITAIN TATE MODERN JENNY HOLZER MIROSLAW BALKA & JANNIUS KOUNELLIS PRAYERT 4 HAITI HAITIMISHAP BLOG BUILDBASE ROAD SHOW & SHIRT PRINT
CONTENT
This book tells the journey during my project and gives detailed accounts of certain important moments through this project. it gives readers a reason to believe in the power of prayer or simply a carefully put together thought promoting hope worldwide. Please feel free to subscribe to this blog for free at www.haitimishap.wordpress.com for future updates.
Introduction
Produce mediums to raise funds for Haiti’s current crisis.
Haitimishap Fund
http://newshopper.sulekha.com/haiti-earthquake-photos-4.htm
I have created a blog site to track my progress through this project, and similarly I have created posters to increase the awareness of the cause. Mailing and talking about the purpose have consolidated my approach. The idea was to give people the opportunity to help Haiti through the fastest medium which was to pray for them. I have urged people about this forum and encouraged them to Post a Prayer for the cause. I have tagged the movement as POSTPRAYIT.
BRIEF
Full name: Republic of Haiti
Rene Preval, often described as a champion of the poor, won presidential elections in February 2006 with 51% of the vote.
Population: 10 million (UN, 2009) Capital: Port-au-Prince Area: 27,750 sq km (10,714 sq miles) Major languages: Creole, French Major religion: Christianity Life expectancy: 59 years (men), 63 years (women) (UN) Monetary unit: 1 gourde = 100 centimes Main exports: Light manufactures, coffee, oils, mangoes GNI per capita: US $660 (World Bank, 2008) Internet domain: .ht International dialling code: +509 Haiti became the world’s first black-led republic and the first independent Caribbean state when it threw off French colonial control and slavery in a series of wars in the early 19th century. However, decades of poverty, environmental degradation, violence, instability and dictatorship have left it as the poorest nation in the Americas. A mostly mountainous country with a tropical climate, Haiti’s location, history and culture - epitomised by voodoo - once made it a potential tourist hot spot, but instability and violence, especially since the 1980s, have severely dented that prospect. resident: Rene Preval
Rene Preval was declared 2006 poll victor after days of protests He was declared the victor after officials agreed to discount thousands of blank ballot papers. His supporters had taken to the streets, rejecting initial results which would have led to a second round. Mr Preval, the front-runner, said “massive fraud” was being used to deny him a first-round victory. Rene Preval is a former president and a one-time ally of Haiti’s exiled former leader, Jean-Bertrand Aristide. He says he wants to tackle social inequalities and to create jobs. In the run-up to his inauguration he visited potential donor countries in pursuit of aid. Born in Port-au-Prince in 1943, Rene Preval studied in Belgium and lived in the US in the 1970s. He is often portrayed as being shy and softly-spoken. He was president from 1996-2001, between Jean-Bertrand Aristide’s first and second terms. Mr Aristide was Haiti’s first democratically-elected president, taking office in 1990 amid great popular support. Having weathered a bloody military coup and on going political and economic crises, he was forced out in February 2004 when opposition to his rule grew increasingly violent. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/country_ profiles/1202772.stm#leaders
Haiti
A design group called Brand Instinct set a brief during my last year of study on the Foundation Degree course at London College Of Communication. The brief was to create advertising concepts to help harness the power of brands to create social influence, change the wider social agenda and increase brand difference. Encouraging marketing professionals to consider their brand’s impact on society to help us progress and to help create ever more worthy brands. http://civilbranding.com/ http://www.brandinstinct.com/
ORIGIN
Idea of using Brand tags as a platform to tackle environmental and social concerns. A way for brand to portray their customer care. Brand should connect beyond their products and should be loyal beyond reason. A brand should be a love mark for its customer. The relationship between brands and customers should be nurtured http://www.lovemarks.com/index.php?pageID=20016 Through generating these tags, I looked at origami and variety of paper, along with GF Smith Paper talk.
Approach
Inspirations came from Honda’s ideas for a short trailer tagged as Failure is the key to success (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiaPNlR5A4I &feature=PlayList&p=67D94E73BB25493A&index=0&playnext=1) and other brands like Starbucks, Audi (http://civilbranding.com/tag/starbucks/). I followed through with the idea of dreams and used inspirational phrases of visionaries to communicate on one half of the detach tag and the other side was left blank for comments and feedback in a way to move society forward and share dreams. The idea of asking for their dreams and thoughts is to emphasise that the brand cares about its customer and their future.
Second approach; On my third year of study I continued creating tags for brands with inspirational Phrases that connects to consumer, their feelings and dreams in a poetic manner. I used phrases I came up with that connote change in attitudes to improve or promote positive behaviour in society; a way to invoke positive influence. The idea is to create tags that could be fastened to anything or even worn as a keepsake - over the neck, hanging from clothes, key rings and so on, with messages embodying thought provoking messages that spark conversation between strangers. I have also thought about using this product under a brand that I created from the letter K of my name Kareem. Exploring with sustainable materials such as clay and plastic - making use of facilities at my university.
The idea of using a letter from my name for the brand was to step away from favouring other sports brands like Nike, Adidas and so on. I came up with a logo formed from letters of my surname, re-representing foot size information as it is to be applied on trainers. I also wanted to embody the inspirational messages I created, which would be revealed upon peeling or heating/rubbing. I also thought about experimenting with mediums like clay and holographic cards. I did not continue on with the idea because it was too money orientated and did not express my inner identity and voice. I acted upon advise to work on something more academic. Another idea I intend to create for the Nike brand was to make an installation in the central London flagship store widely known as Nike town. They have different installation in 3-5 month periods (http://www.flickr.com/photos/nikemy/4149180797/) Above is a rough illustration of this continuing idea for Nike which is still ongoing at the moment. I am moving towards something more interactive, involving audience and other non Nike customer to relate to it. Post It, Share It, Live It - Just Do It. In this way brands have a unique opportunity to gain values customer feedback about situations and future ideas. The logo would be in Neon lights (Just Do It), the box transparent, message will then be viewed and posted from both sides.
Where does this fit - who should it benefit? This was an exploration into clay and how it behaves. I was looking at the possibilities of creating something that could be a predecessor to Brand tags. I used my old watch and cut out perspex to make imprints. I questioned myself as to where all this would fit... I altered my brief periodically when I did not see things piece together. Clay approach for tags - testing malleability, durability and appealing factor
CLAY TAGS
I have watched several videos to allows room for imagination to breed ideas that are remarkable http://www.ted.com/
INSPIRATION
Tales of the earth is a keepsake production company that strongly connects to my work. I narrowed the current stage of my project to focus on keep sakes. I started making sense of where this product will fit in and its purpose. http://www.talesfromtheearth.com/ The Bon-voyage coin illustrates that the worlds degenerating state, the phrase simply expresses the situation.
TALES FROM THE EARTH
Another company I approached based at West-End London. I pleased to meet the artist who illustrate the design on the enamels and antiques shipped from outside the UK. Lynne Owen the artist of who paints the enamels with personalised special messages onto or into the products without charging. She was very helpful by telling me to approach the companies outside the UK that make the enamels and stone ware. http://www.halcyondaysworld.co.uk/
halcyon days
http://www.google.com/images?client=safari&rls=en&q=haiti%20earthquake&oe=UTF-8&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=og&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wi
keepsakes for World mishaps keepsakes for Lovers, family and friends keepsakes for reoccurring or un-reoccurring moments Keepsakes for celebrations Why; Treasure moments & To remind ourselves
KEEPSAKES
http://www.google.com/images?um=1&hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&tbs=isch:1&aq=f&aqi=&oq=&gs_rfai=&q=food%20supply
KEEPSAKES AS FUND RAISE TO AID the victims need such as; Houses - Bricks, Electricity - Solar panel, Water supply, Fruits as their daily diet would be reduced significantly due to due to increased price cost, clothes could be donate pretty easily.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/83/Concrete_wall.jpg
Idea of using what I have attained and know as a platform to carry on exploring at something achievable and beneficial. I would be creating bricks and keep sakes for Haiti mishaps. Fund raising for the needy (Haiti’s mishap)
BUY A BRICK BUILD A HOUSE
I am looking at different books in brick making, artist involved in supporting haiti, keepsakes I could make in support for the fund raising Bricks are one of the oldest types of building blocks. They are an ideal building material because they are relatively cheap to make, very durable, and require little maintenance. Bricks are usually made of kiln-baked mixtures of clay.
SOURCE
An example of stretcher bond using common brick, on an early 20thcentury wall. pg 81
A 17th century example of English bond. pg 81
Above is the coffered interior of the dome of the Pantheon, Rome, creates spectacular effects of light and shade. pg 16
by Andrew Plumridge and Wim Meulenkamp
Brick work
Above is the final panel of Walter Ritche’s “Creation”. pg 152
Above right ‘The brick layer’ by Richard Beyer pg 81
Brick work
Goldsboro, North Carolina, USA. Brick bird mural by Patricia Turlington and Jane pg 154
Moulded Terracotta detailing around the arch way of Watt’s Mortuary Chapel, Surrey, England. pg 155
Brick work
Susan Feller Mollet Journal Stones: Thirty-Five Days, 2003 pg 46
Image transfer on clay by Paul Andrew Wandless
Image Transfer
http://haitiexperiences.blogspot.com/2010/01/here-are-few-pics-from-haiti.html
Knowing the type of bricks used in haiti has made me rethink as to how the bricks I hope to create as keepsakes should communicate visually and also raise funds. I have the idea of sending brick donated from public funding down to Haiti with a message on it that expresses support. They make use of sun drying bricks, which are relatively cheap, easy to manufacture effortlessly but not strong. A minor earthquake will collapse a section of a building affecting the whole structure.
Sun-Dry Bricks
I keep tracks of blogs that have articles or helping out on rebuilding Haiti.
Blogs For Haiti
http://hopehelpandreliefhaiti.org/
http://www.habitat.org/eca/
http://yele.org/
http://www.africare.org/
http://www.amnesty.org/
http://edition.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2010/haiti.quake/
http://edition.cnn.com/video/#/video/showbiz/2010/04/16/rescued.wyclef.cnn http://www.behance.net/Gallery/awareness-poster-Hospitals-in-Haiti/392907
http://www.fundraiserinsight.org/directory/brickfundraising.html
I have used this sites to search fund raising bodies for support on this project.
Fund Groups
http://www.bricksrus.com/
To create bricks as keepsakes, I have requested a quote from the company above but where quoting to high a price which has lead me to look for other companies in the uk that could produce customized bricks. I have also thought what could be represented on the bricks to communicate visually and also raise funds at the same time.
BRICKS ‘R’ US
Bricky9: Thank you for contacting Bricks ‘R Us. How may I assist you today?
Can I assist you any further?
Ola: hi I just put a question through just now
Ola: thats fine thank you....can you deliver to a specific address as in the location it takes place
Bricky9: Ok. I’m happy to try and help you. Ola: i was wondering if you could print over bricks put together to form a whole image...like a jig saw Bricky9: Yes, that’s called an array and you can see examples at www. bricksrus.com/arrays
Bricky9: We can ship whereever FedEx can go to. Thank you for contacting Bricks ‘R Us. I hope I have been able to assist you with everything you need. Should you have any further questions, please feel free to contact us and we will be happy to assist you. Have a great day! duration 23:05 End Chat
Ola: Okay am happy u do it...its a fund raising project that I hope to have all bricks assemble prior to the my submission...I am currently working up an artwork for it Bricky9: Great! Can I be of any further assistance? Ola: how long does it take to get it done, and I was hoping to get a rough quote Bricky9: Our processing times is between 2-3 weeks. In regards to pricing, it depens on how many pieces you will use for the total array and what size you wish each piece to be. Ola: I am going for about a wall size and standard brick size.. Bricky9: Each standard brick is 4x8 and is $19 each (within the US) which includes the brick, engraving and shipping. The array fee is $30 so you would just multiply the amount of bricks times $19 plus the array fee. Ola: say about 3 feet wide and 4 feet wide...how much brick would that come up to Bricky9: 3x4 would be 51 bricks Ola: do you offer student discount aswell this is a prototype I am working towards for my degree show Bricky9: All of our pricing is listed for the general public at www.bricksrus. com/pricing. We normally do not provide discounts but feel free to ask again when you place the order.
Chat Image
Chat with bricks r us
http://gregorylarson.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/2009-10-prayer.jpg
Prayer is a symbolic practise of a religion. It is a means of communication to a higher realm and a connection that brings forth explanations of unexplainable, resolving obstacles and strengthen us through hard times and consolidates our good times. It can be practised individually or congregational, privately or publicly, with the same purpose or different. I have grown up practising prayer and have been the fastest medium to overcome obstacle through times of difficulty. All one has to do is believe and speak with or from the heart.
PRAYER
Art Now presents an installation by Andy Holden. Comprising of a large knitted boulder and an accompanying film, The Pyramid Piece acts a means of representing and reconciling the guilt of an event from the artist’s childhood – stealing a rock from the Great Pyramid of Cheops, Giza. Holden employs the laborious and repetitive process of knitting as a means of externalising the emotional mass that the stolen rock has come to represent and as a means of reparation.
TATE BRITAIN
About the exhibition “I always liked the idea that words, which are supposed to be concrete, when spoken by a different person at a different time can have a completely different meaning.” (Douglas Gordon). On one level, the effect seems to articulate Gordon’s idea of art operating as ‘a dialogue between artist and viewer’, hence many of the texts address us directly, employing ‘I’, ‘You’ and ‘We’.
TATE BRITAIN
He pioneered carving directly from materials, evolving his signature abstract forms derived from the human body. This exhibition presents examples of the defining subjects of his work, such as the reclining figure, mother and child, abstract compositions and drawings of wartime London.
TATE BRITAIN
Big Black Box By Miroslaw Balka Miroslaw Balka big black box expresses how the unknown can be terrifying especially when its without light. He expresses through his installation that approach on first encounter with anything can only be as an individual, making each experience unique.
Untitled (Door Ways) By Jannis Kounellis Jannis expresses through his installation on how using ancient techniques to address current concerns. Titled Door Way which comprises of a chimera of stones and bricks. above right is a rough illustration I have made representing it due to restriction on photography.
Miroslaw Balka & Jannis kounellis
He pioneered carving directly from materials, evolving his signature abstract forms derived from the human body. This exhibition presents examples of the defining subjects of his work, such as the reclining figure, mother and child, abstract compositions and drawings of wartime London.
jenny holzer
Is a Platform to create global dialogue between all people with hopes, voices and dreams. Most of all it will be an opportunity to unite those who are worlds apart culturally, economically and geographically. Creating a Platform for every person out there with a heart willing to help reach out to Haiti. It serves as a forum to share and extend supplications, thoughts and experiences. I have tagged the idea as;
Prayer 4 Haiti Helvetica Neue Prayer 4 Haiti Cracked Prayer 4 Haiti Chalk Duster
Prayer 4 Haiti Brush Script BT Prayer 4 Haiti Dali Prayer 4 Haiti Der Demonschriftkegel Prayer 4 Haiti Freestyle Script
Hope It + Pray It + Share It = PostPrayIt “It is good for us to keep some account of our prayers, that we may not unsay them in our practice”. ~Matthew Henry I have created a mailing list and sent out to friends, families, colleagues, tutors, encouraging them to leave a prayer or a message for Haiti’s recovery. This prayers would stand has stepping stones to see them through this disaster and a way to give them hope to relieve them of their pain. One of the hardest thing to do is praying from the heart, our efforts shall not be in vain. I hope to extend our prayer requests as a tag on keepsakes I would be producing towards fund raising for Haiti. I have used a brush type logo that helped expresses the idea of hand making i.e rebuilding, which people have been able to relate to the symbolic representation.
Prayer 4 haiti
http://haitimishap.wordpress.com/prayer-4-haiti/ I have created a blogsite to keep track on progress and a way for people to post pray their prayers online which would equally encourage others to leave a prayer on reading through previous posts. I have had 52 prayers in less than two weeks after notification sent out to my database list. All the response received were remarkable and emotional. The posted prayers has been my true motivation and encouragement from my colleagues, families, friends and others. I have progressed to produce keepsakes with the prayers I have received so far.
HAITIMISHAPS BLOG
http://buildbase.co.uk/ I have approached a company well known for their brick manufacturing called Build Base. I have pitched my idea with Ian (manager). Ian’s interest in the project has made it possible to make donation of a hundred bricks towards my degree show day. i have set a target of a hundred prayers, which will be tagged onto bricks. I informed Ian of my progress weekly and have had a few bricks to run a test relief.
BUILD BASE DONATION
To acquire more prayers and increase the awareness of the cause towards the production of a prayer book. I have made a prototype of the prayer book pictured top left, tagged as “ONE FOR THE ROAD�. The response received is remarkable and carries a lot of ethics. The book production is currently being published, which would be sold on Blurb website to raise more funding. I have also worked up the concept of the clothing line. I would be using the date on which the earthquake occurred. This was also eleven days after their celebration of the independence day. 12/01/2010 will be used as the serial number for the clothing line and prayers and logo would be tagged onto each shirt prints. An example can be picture above right.
ROAD SHOW & SHIRT PRINTS