Practice Based PhD @ MMU: February 2013

Wednesday 6 February 2013

Present at the meeting - Simon Faulkner / Gavin Parry

The meeting predominently discussed the RD2 transfer stage from MPhil to PhD:

This transfer will need to be completed by Sept 2013.
6,000 word report will need to be written on the project, detailing research already undertaken, research to be undertaken at PhD level and a description of contribution to current or exisitng knowledge.

Also discussed was the approach to the Hardman archive, considering:

Continuation of data entry from the Hardman Studio Registers.
Full digitisation of all Studio Register data will provide the basis for identifying some key case studies that will form the practical / curated output of the project.
Access to the Hardman archive will only become available during late April / early May 2013, therefore further work on this will have to wait until then.
Work will progress on a more theoretical text, based upon current readings - This will also form part of the RD2 accompanying material [Additional Chapter]
Work will commence on the RD2 transfer report after May 2013, moving through summer to Sept 2013.

Next scheduled meeting has been agreed for Wednesday 13/03/2013 .

In response to last Supervisory Meeting held on 19/12/2012:

The database makes the archive more transparent and the data is therefore more flexible for interogation.
The database should allow unique patterns to emerge.
Access to the Hardman archive has been restricted now until May 2013 as a result of the Liverpool Central Library refurbishment and re-opening.

Mapped Options:

Linking of Hardman's topographical / landscape work to his portraiture by date. IE: Who was being shot and when ?
Further filtering and interogation of Datasets and what this reveals.
Accessing Daybooks / Diaries / Notebooks in May 2013 will open up more areas of research.
Identification of recurring portraits of same person over extended time frame.
Contact local press to help with tracking down any Hardman portraits held locally.

Present at Meeting - Simon Faulkner / Gavin Parry

The meeting discussed further developments in the research conducted including:

The development of a database which catalogues the Hardman negative archive from data collected from the Studio Registers - thus making the archive more transparent in certain ways.
Questions surrounding how this makes the archive more understandable remain unanswered.
The database was discussed as being part of the methodology of research and as a potential way of identifying patterns and possible narratives.
The idea of finding narratives was discussed as a way of releasing the 'power' of the archive as a historical repository.
Hardman's increased photographic activity during WWII was discussed and the possibilities of developing narratives around the subject of 'In Memorium'.
Fictionalised narratives were also discussed as a way of using archival material as a starting point.

Action points arrising from the meeting:

Continue to catalogue the archive when it becomes available again in Spring 2013.
Think about how this cataloguing might be prt of the methodology for the project and what it might allow to happen.
How might allow the use of the archive for the development of own archival or photographic response ?
The form of this response remains unspecified, so this will also require further thought.
There might be a need for a set of options to be mapped out for the next meeting.
Secondary materials should also continue to be read, for the development of the literature review.
The next meeting should discuss the RD2 process and the writing up of some materials as part of this transfer process.

From the Edward Chambre Hardman - Biscuit Tin Collection:

Negatives 18001 to 18500

Studio Register Entry for Composer, Gordon Green - Neg 18,238 [1930]

Cellulose Nitrate Negative 18,238 - Composer, Gordon Green 1930 [Glassine Envelope]

Composer, Gordon Green - 1930