Group 07 Merz 18’
Agenda // Set to the backdrop of the Lake District, on a site with historical ties to Dadaism through Kurt Schwitters, we will learn about his legacy and the impact of the Elterwater Merz Barn.
Using the Dada movement as a conceptual base we will create art to inform architecture that creates a discourse about rural issues in todays ‘urban world’.
Our event will consist of a design charrette culminating in an exhibition showcasing our models, sketches and artwork . // Download Poster
Steffan MH // Nathan C // Marcus Y // Adithya V // Jack M
Well done group 1!
Their Exhibition in their own words.
The model consists of plaster and copper, finished with a collage of an OS map of the Lake District where the Merz Barn is situated. The map has geographical relevance to the site we have chosen, but also is reference to the Dada and Merz art movement, where collaging was a key aspect to create an almost chaotic appearance. The pavilion consists of a long winding vein through the landscape, leading up the terrain. For the public interacting with the pavilion the ultimate goal is to reach the peak of the hill, to get the full view of the valley and surrounding area.
However, a glass pane is placed at the end to prevent the user from reaching that goal; representing the restrictions facing rural communities, such as poor infrastructure. The pavilion is intended to be made from found and recycled materials, such as car parts and pylons. A quite literal response to the ‘broken’ infrastructure systems within the rural.
Posted 8 May 2018 06:27
Here is group 2's final exhibition, with has gone above as beyond our expectations!
Their explanation of the pavilion is below
After exploring the Merz Barn site, our group wanted to emphasise the contrast between the natural landscape of the chosen site with the destructive nature of the quarry opposite. Positioning ourselves looking over the valley, we created a series of reaction drawings trying to convey the juxtaposition between the soft hum of nature and the invasive, violent sounds of the demolition. Additionally, alongside this interpretation of the site, it was decided to respond to the employment struggle faced by rural communities; more specifically, the innovations of this modern era have reduced the demand for jobs in the agriculture industry. Many in the rural are faced with false hope and disappointment, and we hoped to reflect this in our pavilion. The design consists of multiple double height spaces converging towards narrow walkways to represent ‘false hope’ leading towards disappointment. To highlight this struggle literally, we decided to incorporate jutting walls where the structure closes in to create an unpleasant experience for the user at this point. Towards the end of the pavilion, there is a small window representing the final glimpse of hope; however this is quickly extinguished by the drop of the steep hill from which the construction cantilevers from.
Posted 4 May 2018 13:40
Group 3's exhibition space is complete, highlighting their response to the site of the pavilion in Cumbria; their representation of the art movement in true Merz protest style and a scale model of their pavilion responding to the commodification of housing in the Lake District. Really happy with the final outputs by the group.
Posted 3 May 2018 17:11
Great work by some of the members of group 3 in curating their site map for the 8th floor lobby exhibition. The Dada art form is clear within their collages and final outputs
Posted 1 May 2018 18:01
The models are finished! Catch them and the rest of the curation in the 8th floor space tomorrow.
Posted 30 Apr 2018 20:17
As part of the submission, Group 3 have started re-collaging their response to the Merz art movement and the brief which just so happens to be a toilet seat, questioning what is art and the resourcefulness of unorthodox materials.
Enjoy
Posted 30 Apr 2018 14:14
Site plan progress.
Group 3 continued to develop their A1 site plan on Friday, integrating different materials for different topography textures along with acrylic paint to highlight individual areas.
Posted 30 Apr 2018 14:11
Just Kidding!! Kareem worked just as hard. Good job guys model's looking good
Posted 30 Apr 2018 12:45
Group 1 Students have produced an excellent model, despite unceremoniously ripping up my map in the process!
Posted 28 Apr 2018 15:01
A very interesting way of displaying the journey of Merz is currently in development by group 3.
Don't forget to check out the 8th floor next week..
Posted 26 Apr 2018 18:46
Call that a Gif, This is a Gif!
A super intense day of work, calls for a super intense gif.
Well done to all the students today who have made great progress with the designs.
Posted 26 Apr 2018 17:24
Currently composing collected candid camera collected circa Cumbria.
Posted 26 Apr 2018 17:24
Great first session back from the expedition to the Lake District, analysing the site response with Group 3. The group chose housing and the commodification of the rural as their emerging themes for their site response.
By using scrap materials and hand painting, the group's chosen site will be documented on a map through the medium of collage.
Posted 26 Apr 2018 11:05
The Merz '18 team taking stock and finding inspiration in the incredible surroundings found in the lake district. The walk was planned to show the students the the varied and sparse landscapes they are responding too in their designs.
Posted 25 Apr 2018 23:56
The intrepid explorers braving the rivers of Cumbria!
Posted 25 Apr 2018 23:25
Schwitterz liked to use and re-used items he came into contact with. On our travels we looked at how we could refashion random objects into our own work.
Posted 25 Apr 2018 17:19
We met Ian Hunter on site who gave us an in-depth tour of the area.
Posted 25 Apr 2018 17:13
Day 5
Reviewing each groups response on the site of the Merz Barn.Each group have a innovative response to their own lspecific site locations.
Posted 25 Apr 2018 16:25
Cathedral Quarry was one of the areas the team explored on the second day of the expedition. The cave had a beautiful, solitary atmosphere, playing with light and shadow. The site inspired the team with their collages and themes
Posted 25 Apr 2018 16:08
The Merz '18 team arrived on Monday in sunny Windermere ready for the expedition ahead. We would firstly meet our collaborator at the site of the Merz barn before exploring the surrounding area for inspiration of the final collages and models
Posted 25 Apr 2018 16:06
In response to our trip to the Lake District, take a look at Hooke Park Rural studio. It is a designed as a place to think and create in the rural. Aspects enabling or restricting peoples ability to experience the rural is an important theme for our event. As the urban environment becomes more and more ubiquitous, places like Hooke Park become more and more important....
Posted 25 Apr 2018 15:12
Just helping out our collaborator with some manual labour around the Merz barn....
Posted 24 Apr 2018 16:42
Meet up in Windermere went off without a hitch.....
Posted 24 Apr 2018 16:04
Great to see everyone getting into the spirit of things at the end of week one!
Posted 22 Apr 2018 14:44
Great work from Rachel on Friday's working day
Posted 22 Apr 2018 13:22
Amazing first Merz response by Indigo Leveson-Gower, Keep up the good work !!
Posted 20 Apr 2018 20:18
Louie and Harry producing some great collages today! Next stop Cumbria!
Posted 20 Apr 2018 15:39
Really interesting initial response from one of the first year students, Helena using mixed media.
Posted 20 Apr 2018 13:06
Day 3 Afternoon Session
Brainstorming research session in separate groups.BA 1st and BA 2nd collaborating to frame their response to the events outputs.
Keep up the good work guys.
Posted 19 Apr 2018 18:51
Many thanks to our Collaborator Ian Hunter from the Littoral Arts Trust for giving an insightful and inspiring lecture on Merz, Cumbria and his work in persevering and highlighting the legacy of Kurt Swchitters.
Thanks to all for turning up, a great turn out despite the photo suggesting otherwise!
Posted 19 Apr 2018 13:41
Good second day of the event's program, Lecture by Dominic Sagar providing the background for the dada movement,Merz barn and Kurt Schwitters
The lecture was a thorough introduction into dadaism and what it means.This lecture was really helpful to gain initial ideas about how to proceed with the rest of the events and the final output.
Thanks to everyone for showing up and special thanks to Dominic Sagar.
Posted 18 Apr 2018 17:50
Just to get you excited for the upcoming trip Ambleside, this is one the locations we will visit, High Tiberthwaite pass
Posted 18 Apr 2018 15:26
Here's what each group will be researching for the next couple of days, ready to present your findings on Friday.
Group 1: Dada
Group 2: Schwitterz
Group 3: Merz
Posted 18 Apr 2018 15:24
Afternoon all!
Just to get you excited for the upcoming trip Ambleside, this is one the locations we will visit, Cathedral Quarry!
Posted 18 Apr 2018 14:54
Preparation.
There are forecasted light showers this Monday and Tuesday when we travel to Cumbria. Make sure you bring appropriate footwear and waterproof clothing.
Over and out.
Posted 18 Apr 2018 14:52
In preparation for the rest of the events program you may want to look into these authors and writings on DADA....
Tilman Osterwold
Schwitters in britan
Barbaba Crossley
Robin Martakies
Bradford r collins
Hatje Cantz
Dietmar Elger
Posted 18 Apr 2018 14:26
Recommended Reading 3
"The Dada reader: a critical anthology by Ades, Dawn"
The revolutionary artistic and political movement, Dada, emerged amid the unprecedented carnage of the First World War. This work provides a selection from key Dada texts, ideal for anyone interested in one of the most influential movement's of the 20th century
"Kurt Schwitters: Space, Image, Exile" by Megan Luke.
This book was recommended by Jacky in her lecture, could be helping in the work you guys are going to do in these weeks
Posted 17 Apr 2018 21:02
Safety.
Safety is paramount when the group travel for the overnight stay to the Lake District. As part of our risk assessment procedure, each team member will fill out a safety form to inform the MArch leaders of any urgent medical problems that we should be aware of and the emergency number of each member in the rare case that we cannot find someone on the trip.
Posted 17 Apr 2018 20:53
Reading 2
The Merz Barn is owned and managed by the Littoral Arts Trust who maintain Schwitter’s legacy through conferences, exhibitions, events and an ongoing programme of artists
residencies at the site
For more about Merz barn and Schwitters there is a reading in the link provided.
History of Merz Barn : https://merzbarnlangdale.wordpress.com/Posted 17 Apr 2018 20:44
The lecture by Jackie Haynes enabled us to think about materials beyond their visual aesthetic, but as 3D object that could embody sound and feeling to the world.
Some of the materials Jackie utilises include: Concrete, Vinyl, Fabric, Balloons and Sandbags. The unorthodox nature of them emphasise the resourcefulness of Kurt Schiwtter, using unorthodox materials and chance based procedures to re imagine what art could be. This gives us a thinking point for the collages each group will produce for their final designs.
Posted 17 Apr 2018 12:19
It was a Fantastic start to the Events Program today thanks to Jackie Haynes providing a superb lecture on Kurt Schwitters, and her work, the “Merzwomen & the Daughters of Dada”.
The lecture gave a great insight about how we can create ruptures and confront issues within wider society, it will provide a fantastic base for ideas informing the pavilion designs and to protest and highlight rural concerns
Thanks to all who turned up! We will see you all on Wednesday on the 8th floor of the Chatham at 11:45.
Posted 16 Apr 2018 22:21
Merz '18 Groups Announced!
Posted 15 Apr 2018 17:46
IMPORTANT LECTURE UPDATE
Merz Team
Mondays lecture will now take place in Room 403 in the Benzie
Also the lecture will now start at 11.30am - 1 on Monday.
Merz '18
Posted 13 Apr 2018 17:01
Merz Team
The Planned Train times are
Out - Monday 23rd April 2018
Manchester - Windermeme 7.44 - 9.31
Return - Monday 24th April 2018
Windermere - Manchester 19.06 - 21.31
So please book them as soon as possible!
Posted 13 Apr 2018 16:14
Reading-1
Kurt Schwitters was a significant figure in European Dadaism who invented the concept of "Merz" – ‘the combination, for artistic purposes of all conceivable materials'.
Whether those materials were string, cotton wool or a pram wheel, Schwitters considered them to be equal with paint. He is best known for his pioneering use of found objects and everyday materials in abstract collage, installation, poetry and performance. Schwitters’s time in Britain was quite extraordinary and continues to reverberate today,
Here in the link below is a reading about Kurt Schwitters have look through it to have a brief understanding of the man and his work.
Link : https://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-galenson/kurt-schwitters-art-of-re_b_3102921.htmlPosted 11 Apr 2018 10:11
Room Booked.
We will at 70 Oxford street for the majority of events week, discussing the collaboration of art and architecture through dada. The final outputs will display some really creative designs in response to the brief.
Posted 10 Apr 2018 08:25
We can glady announce that Jackie Haynes, a leading expert in Kurt Schwitterz and the Merz movement will be giving a lecture on the on Monday 16th from 1-3pm about her recent work on the Merzwoman & the Daughters of Dada exhibition, we look forward to seeing you all there!
Posted 6 Apr 2018 23:38
Exhibition Space Confirmed.
We'll be exhibiting your final designs on the 8th floor lobby. Expect to see unconventional collaborations of art & architecture in true Dada style very soon.
Posted 4 Apr 2018 10:55
Risk Assessment complete.
We are looking forward to working with you all and preparing for the overnight trip to the lake district! We'll be getting in touch shortly
Posted 23 Mar 2018 15:47
Great first meeting with some of the Merz '18 Team discussing the itinerary, accommodation, risk assessment and the transport to the Cumbria for our events week trip.
Posted 16 Mar 2018 12:44
Hello people! Thanks for turning up earlier, this is the itinerary as promised. Have a look through it and begin to familiarise yourself with the movement that is, DADA...
Posted 15 Mar 2018 21:43
Name: Adithya Vairav Vijayabhaskar
Atelier: ISR
Graduated: National Institute of Technology, Patna, India
Work Experience: Chawla architectural and Consulting Engineers, Dubai, U.A.E
Bio: I am fairly new to the UK and have always been an architect who is up for crazy ideas and the Merz movement is pretty crazy I guess.Looking forward to working with a new group on a crazy art movement.
Posted 12 Mar 2018 19:26
Name: Marcus Yeomans
Atelier: MSAP
Graduated: University Of Liverpool
Work Experience: ASA + Atlas Industires
Yo. If you've ever seen a guy looking like a homeless Jesus walking around Benzie that is probably me and yes I am the Architectural Messiah. I like buildings that make a difference to people and can effect the communities they live in. I'll try to keep the sermons short.
Also I play keyboards.
Posted 12 Mar 2018 16:49
Name: Nathan Cowley
Atelier: MSAP
Graduated: University of Liverpool
Work Experience: ASA
Bio: I got into architecture to wear pretentious glasses without embarrassment, and i generally love buildings that other architects hate. I’m also interested in discussions about how Milton Keynes is the best city in the UK.
Posted 12 Mar 2018 15:46
Name: Steffan
Atelier: QED
Graduated: Northumbria University
Work Experience: JTP
Bio: Hola. My interests lie in environmental design + architecture to suit a variety of people and needs. During my year out in 2017, I worked at JTP in London, specialising in masterplanning and residential design. I am excited to be working with all of you; discussing the creativity that can be applied to drawing and model making through combining the Merz art form and architecture.
Posted 12 Mar 2018 15:35
Name: Jack Moloney
Atelier: QED
Graduated: Anglia Ruskin University
Work Experience: Chapman Taylor Architects
Bio: I'm into efficient, environmental design and generally into trying to save the world. I'm also a big fan of art and the Merz movement so I'm looking forward to creating something weird and thinking outside of the box.
Posted 12 Mar 2018 15:33
Welcome to the Merz '18 team, we've sent you all a link to the facebook group via email. We'll be contacting you regarding group meetings through that so join to keep yourself up to date.
We are looking forward to working with you all.
Posted 3 Mar 2018 14:37
Highly insightful lecture and panel interviews from the 'WOAH: without a home' event.
It explored the issues of homelessness, Kurt Schwitters and the themes around his Merz Barn in Cumbria.
Posted 12 Feb 2018 10:02
Q&A from prospective students
Posted 2 Feb 2018 16:26
Presenting our project's introduction to the BA1 and BA2 students
Posted 2 Feb 2018 16:25
First meeting with Ian Hunter from the Littoral Arts Trust. The discussion involved: the itinerary for the events week, future collaborators and potential avenues for the project's development.
Posted 2 Feb 2018 15:16
