Developing my thought process further, I have made another conceptual model dealing with the characteristics, history, feelings and theoretical ideas behind my work on the Stanley Dock area of Liverpool. This time I have expanded my ideas further to present a large mass compiled of two boxes. These two boxes sit slightly elevated on an acrylic plinth and they are positioned to the centre of the model area. The box now has an air of mystery, what is inside the box? is it one box or a number of boxes? can we explore the box further?
As one explores the box, it is apparent that there are, in-fact, two separate boxes that come apart, sliding along the plinth. As the boxes come apart, one begins to feel the tension created between the boxes and the information inside, as is reminiscent of the two large warehouse units on the boundaries of the dockyard.
Within the boxes a series of 2D elements are revealed, all of which explore a different aspect to the theoretical features of my project, from the emptiness within the docks to the huge scale of the sublime warehouse buildings surrounding them.
The model is comprised of all 2D elements and should be viewed from all angles, not just the front face. Only two materials have been used but a series of expressions have been used to highlight the important elements - sketches, photographs, texts, etchings etc.
As different people examine the model, the components are represented in a different way, depending on where the pieces are positioned. Something that is important to one person, might not be vital to someone else understanding the site and that is what makes the explorations of this model more interesting.
The layering of the segments becomes necessary to understanding the context, history and configurations of the site, as well as providing intriguing juxtapositions between the various pieces that are presented.
This model gives a different sense of site investigation than the first concept model. It has become apparent to me that I would like to represent the deeper elements of my research, I want to focus on the sublime v the emptiness, the historical strands to Stanley Dock and the physical abstractions of my site interpretations. As such, I now want to move away from exact representations of the site and bring back the element of surprise and wonder that first grabbed me about my chosen site. I will be making my next model or artifact in a more vertical way, suspending the large hollow masses in mid air with the necessary 2D components hung between in a suspended tension. I will be weighting the model down with the realistic elements of materiality, detail and signage experienced first hand on site.
