Notes on current research As my graphic commons project grows and I’m formulating links between different urban studies and theories, I’m finding out how little research there appears to be into graphic design in shared environments, (within both current or historic thinking around the topic). This may obviously be because I just haven’t found itContinue reading “Graphic commons: progress and an Essex drift”
Author Archives: Nigel Ball
The definitive article
The Guardian have done it again in creating dynamic and impactful graphics to carry a story. But then I would have been disappointed had the triggering of article 50 for the formal start of Brexit been visualised by the paper in anything less than a dramatic style. While I have some sympathy with some design criticism onContinue reading “The definitive article”
Map folk
As a sucker for cartography I could not resist buying a new compilation of live folk music with an accompanying map. Titled From Here: English Folk Field Recordings, the record is a modern take on Alan Lomax’s field recordings in the 1930s and ’40s and seeks to look at contemporary English folk music and its reference to place. A projectContinue reading “Map folk”
Graphic commons: north-east of Ipswich
Distance: 4.2 miles Steps taken: 9,687 Start time: 09:37 Ground covered: Small town centre, surrounding residential areas and seaside promenade Any talk of Southwold and psychogeography is duty bound to include a mention of W.G. Sebald’s Rings Of Saturn. My drift around Southwold yesterday, as part of my continuing Graphic Commons project, did take me upContinue reading “Graphic commons: north-east of Ipswich”
With apologies, (there’s nothing new)
“There’s nothing new in this world…” is a phrase attributed to Harry S Truman on the Brainyquote.com website. In this post-truth world, who knows whether this was actually said by him or not. I do, however, know the content of the phrase itself to be true, post-truth or not. In June last year I madeContinue reading “With apologies, (there’s nothing new)”
Spectacle fodder
Yesterday I took my grandson to see the Lego Batman Movie at a cinema complex in town. It was great fun, even if much of the film was a little over the head of the 7 year old boy. Such cinema complexes aren’t my usual choice of venue for movie going. Several people had warnedContinue reading “Spectacle fodder”
Graphic commons: dérive of convenience
After fog stopped two previous attempts at more walks for my Graphic Commons project, I finally managed to get out again today. Thankfully, despite weather reports of fog in this region, Ipswich seemed to be unaffected. The project has moved on somewhat since I did the Easternmost onshore drift walk, as I have now categorised manyContinue reading “Graphic commons: dérive of convenience”
Uncomfortable post-truths
In discussing 2016 election campaigns with a student recently, I mentioned that to have a true understanding of the topic, it was necessary to research publications that they might not agree with—the Daily Mail, the Express et al. It has to be said that most of the critiques I’ve read of both the EU referendum andContinue reading “Uncomfortable post-truths”
The museum of things
Today I visited the Design Museum in its new Kensington home. Primarily going to see the Design of the Year 2016 show with students, being a big fan of the museum, I was also keen to see how the relocation from Shad Thames had been managed. There is much in the move to the formerContinue reading “The museum of things”
Survival guide
I’ve just written a review of the excellent Gee Vaucher exhibition, Introspective, at Colchester’s Firstsite gallery for Eye Magazine’s blog. Read it here.
Nigel Ball 