RD2 Resubmission - 7th March 2014

The RD2 transfer from MPhil to PhD document has now been resubmitted for scrutiny by Professor Stephen Dixon and Dr Alice Kettle, the findings of which are scheduled to be fedback on Monday 31st March 2014.

The re-submission was required to respond to a number of recommendations and amendments as specified by the scrutineers, which in summary requested greater clarity in terms of the practical output of the project and further work on the Literature Review component of the report.

A full copy of the report can be obtained by request.  The Abstract for the report was as follows:

Edward Chambré-Hardman (1898-1988) was a Liverpool based commercial portrait photographer, practicing between 1923 to 1966.  He left behind a vast collection of photographic work including portraiture, landscape and topographical cityscape works, all of which are now archived within the Central Liverpool Library.  The focus of this project specifically concerns the commercial portraiture component of Hardman’s archive, which consists of approximately 140,000 individual sheet negatives. This report explains what steps have been made to develop this project from MPhil to PhD, including an evaluation of the existing aims, as compared with the revised aims now being proposed.

 The first section of the report details the original project aims as specified in the RD1 report, it then goes on to list the revised aims as driven by the research and creative practice conducted to date.  The initial aims are then elaborated upon, with a rationale being proposed in relation to the new aims.  The second section details all the research and creative practice conducted to date, including the difficulties experienced with accessing Hardman’s archive and the subsequent development of a database designed to drive the process of archival intervention.  The second section addresses the research and practical output of the project to date in terms of both technical testing and case study development.  The third section elaborates upon the research and creative response to the archive that will be conducted in order to complete the doctorate.  This will include how the created database will help drive the archival intervention and the various forms this intervention will take, it will also propose a future work-plan and timeline for the forthcoming two years until completion.  The final part of this section will detail the provisional layout of the written component of the project and also explain what format the practice based component of the project will take, including details of the proposed final exhibition. 

 The fourth and final section of the report is the literature review, which intends to assess current knowledge regarding the use of archival intervention within the visual arts and in particular, photographic practice. This review consists of five interrelated parts linked together through the proposed creative practice element of the project.  It begins with mapping the field of practice in relation to archival intervention, examining the work of key contemporary practitioners using archives within their work (specifically photographic), drawing a distinction between the different types of archives being used.  The following part of the review examines key theoretical texts with the intention of framing the project in relation to both historic and contemporary discourse surrounding the archive.  It then goes on to address the use of typology within the visual arts, offering a specific definition in relation to the ways in which this project will use typology for the creation of practical output.  Lastly it will briefly discuss commercial photographic portraiture within a historical context, touching on issues of photographic conservation in relation to cellulose nitrate materials.

 The report will demonstrate how the project will represent a significant contribution to knowledge, firstly through the generation of creative practical output which can be both displayed through exhibition and reflected upon within the written component of the project.  Then secondly, through the methodology and models employed using site specific archival materials and the precedents this practice might offer to others working within a similar field. 

Supervisory Meeting - 19/02/2014 @MMU

Present - Simon Faulkner / Gavin Parry

The meeting was predominantly used to discuss the resubmission of the RD2 Transfer Report which is due on 7th March 2014.  Two main aspects of the RD2 have been identified as being problematic at this stage of the project, including the literature review and the lack of clarity surrounding the creative practical output the project intends to generate.  Areas of discussion were as follows:

 

• The development of the Literature Review in line with comments offered by the scrutineers reports, requesting a clearer link between literature and practice.


• The creation of the database in relation to what can be digitised within the given timeframe and how this must be made central to the methodology for practice.

 

In response to this discussion the following was suggested:

1. Think more about the different innovative creative strategies for using the database within the creation of typologies from the Hardman Archive.
2. Further develop the Literature Review and submit this to the team for feedback prior to the re-submission deadline of the 7th March 2014.
3. Develop a practice based submission (PDF) to submit with the RD2 in order to clarify both what has already been achieved and what is being now being proposed in line with transfer to PhD.  To be submitted to team prior to resubmission of RD2.

The next meeting was scheduled for 26/03/2014

Supervisory Meeting - 11/12/2013 @MMU

Present - Simon Faulkner / David Brittain / Gavin Parry

The meeting presented the opportunity to deliver an update on project and research developments to the entire supervisory team.  The presentation lasted approx 40 mins and covered aspects of the project including Context / Methodology / Output. The meeting also discussed the RD2 transfer process and highlighted issues that will need to be addressed, including further clarity about how different aspects of the project connect to each other.

In response to this discussion it was suggested that the following be addressed for the next meeting:

• Further consider how the different elements of the project connect to each other.
• Establish a clearer use for the database in terms of how it powers the practice.
• Consider establishing date parameters for the database, instead of digitising all the studio register data from 1923-1966.
• Progress more case study Artist Books, paying close attention to the design and layout, trying different variations. (IE: No Text / More Text / Size / Shape etc)
• Try to establish a clearer understanding of the theory in relation to the project, looking at both 'Photographies' journal and Georges Perec (Species of Space and Other Pieces)
• Allow time to respond to any findings or recommendations that arise from scrutiny of the RD2 transfer submission.

The next meeting has been scheduled for 29th Jan 2014 @ 3.00pm (MMU)

RD2 - Transfer to PhD - 28th November 2013

The transfer stage from MPhil to PhD requires the submission of a formal report known as the RD2, which was submitted on 28th November 2013 to MMU (follow link below to request the full PDF version).  This report will then be scrutinsed by the Faculty Research Degrees Coordinator.  If the report is of an appropriate standard, the FRDC will trigger a 'Transfer Stage Viva', which will consist of a 20 min presentation based on a specific aspect of the research.  It is at this stage that the research is either recommended with or without further requirements, or deemed unsuccessful.

The abstract for this report is as follows:

Edward Chambré-Hardman was a Liverpool based commercial portrait photographer, practicing between

1923 to 1966.  He left behind a vast collection of photographic work including portraiture, landscape and cityscape works which are now stored within the Central Liverpool Library.  The focus of this project concerns the portraiture component of Hardman’s archive, which consists of approximately 140,000 individual sheet negatives. This report explains what steps have been made to develop this project from MPhil to PhD, including an evaluation of the existing aims, as compared with the revised aims now being proposed.

The first section of the report details the original project aims as specified in the RD1 report, it then goes on to list the revised aims as driven by the research conducted to date.  The initial aims are then elaborated upon, with a rationale being proposed in relation to the new aims.  The second section details all the research conducted to date including the difficulties experienced with accessing Hardman’s archive and the subsequent development of a database designed to drive the process of archival intervention.  The second section will also address the practical output of the research to date in terms of both technical testing and case study development.  The third section explains the research to be conducted in order to complete the doctorate.  This will include the mapping of the archive and the completion of the database and will also propose a future work-plan and timeline for the forthcoming two years until completion.  The final part of this section will detail the provisional layout of the thesis and also explain what format the practice based component of the project will take. 

 The last section of the report will make reference to existing literature in relation to both archival intervention within contemporary arts practice, the artist as archivist and the use of typology in photographic practice. This section will also elaborate upon discourse surrounding the use of the archive within photographic and arts practice.  It will then go on to define the meaning of ‘typology’ in relation to the classic use of the term, as compared with the definition specifically determined by the research.

 The report will demonstrate how the research will represent a significant contribution to knowledge, as no detailed scrutiny or catalogue of this component of Hardman’s archive currently exists.

 

 

 

 

RD2 Tranfer Report - 28th November 2013

Hardman's Animals - Case Study

Please review the first case study publication called Hardman's Animals - by Keith W Roberts

http://www.blurb.com/books/4544806-hardman-s-animals

Supervisory Meeting - 05/09/2013 @ MMU

Present at meeting:  Simon Faulkner

The meeting was scheduled to discuss the 6000 word RD2 (PhD) transfer report.  Written feedback was offered by Simon in relation to the submission of the first draft.  The key points raised were:

• Re-Consider the title of the research defining what is actually meant by 'typology' in this instance.
• Indentify the Chambre-Hardman archive within the research title.
• Attempt to clarify the practice in terms of either photographic / archivist etc
• Establish new Aims & Objectives at the beginning of Section 02.
• Move the database details to an appendices at the end of the report.

Next meeting is scheduled for 18/09/2013

Margot Fonteyn -1939

The top image was found yesterday in Biscuit Tin 38,401-38,800 and was shot in 1939 by Hardman (Negative Number 38,763)  The bottom image shows the area in the conservation room where I conduct my research.  Cellulose Nitrate negative material decomposes via an acidic hydrolysis pathway over time and releases a range of oxides of Nitrogen, including Nitrous Oxide, hence the ventilated area .... and perhaps also the reason why I tend to leave the Archive feeling quite giddy at times !