I've noticed how one border or boundary can be broken down into many smaller ones.  The best example is with using a computer.  Everybody has a different level of experience with using a computer, starting with none at all, and there isn't a defined upper limit. 

When I started using a computer in the '90s, I remember seeing beginner computer courses that started by explaining how to turn the computer on... this is a mouse... this is the Start button... Do they still start at that level?  Are the majority of computer courses now at a more advanced level, for example explaining how to use social media rather?

Phil

After working on just two sessions in the Borderlines project, it's made think about borders in all many aspects of my life, from the working day to the holiday.  What a great chance (read "excuse") to look back through my holiday photos from last year and see which one had the best use of borders in it!

In this photo, I'm stood on the Arctic Circle in Finland, in summer.  The Arctic Circle is itself a borderline, one of those "made-up" ones, if you will.  A wooden archway/post has been erected where the Circle lies, helping tourists such as myself to find it.  I'm not sure why I was so keen to find it; I suppose there is a sense of achievement in reaching something far away, even if it is an arbitrary place.  We turned around and drove south again as soon as we'd reached it.

The sign says "Arctic Circle" in seven different languages.  Multi-lingual signs are an example of breaking down borders.  In this sign, the languages include Finnish, Swedish, German, Russian, French and English -- I cannot identify one of them.  Perhaps Norwegian?

One thing that links the particular photo to the Borderlines project is the archway, which could inspire us when designing the one for the Big Day.  We're not the first to combine a structure highlighting a border with an archway to pass it; although in their case, it might simply have been the most practical way to hold up a large sign at a height while minimising the materials used.

Phil.

 

 

Answers on a t-shirt to the usual address.

I don't know if you know Adrian Barber, he was the artist/photographer who worked on the Something Beautiful Project, and I have been thinking about this project of his for the past couple of days. It has taken on a life of its own since he began it a couple of years ago. Whilst travelling around India he asked fellow travellers to copy him in on emails home and to send him photos. He brought these emails, photos and his own video and photographs together into a book and film which captures the many voices and stories of people travelling the world.

One of the aspects of the project which I found fascinating was that he catalogued all the photographs, grouping them into themes, and it seems that wherever travellers are there are common themes to photographs they send home - Food, flora and fauna, mountains and toilets are amongst the most popular, as are the photos of the traveller's feet in different settings.

Here's a photo of my feet and Eoin's feet in the Lake District.

You can find more information about the project here http://www.deathofthepostcard.com/

Death of the Postcard film trailer

Cath

Over the past week I have thought more and more about power and boundaries, how and why boundaries are shifted and who has control. It's something that came up in our group poem writing in the first week and then again when we were out on our walk yesterday. We walked from the existing boundary between Chadderton and Oldham up to the previous boundary, which was marked by a main road. Someone recalled that it had been shifted by the politicians in the 70s in order to gain more votes for a particular party in a constituency, and whether this is true or not, is entirely plausible and is part of community memory and perception.

The new boundary is marked by nothing more than a couple of signs, whereas the old boundary seemed to follow the route of a main road (a main road that included the now closed 'Boundary Pub'.) I wondered how that boundary came about. Was that the decision of planners or did it follow the natural route of a community boundary? I might do a bit more research.

This idea of boundaries and influence connects with a school building design project I am working on in St Annes. We are working with pupils, staff and the local community to consult and engage them in the design process, and one of the tools we have used is the 'spheres of influence'. It was such a useful process which enabled all partners to get together and talk through where and how much control/influence each stakeholder has. It helped us to be honest about where we could have an impact and to let go of those parts over which we had no control (which were taking up lots of people's energy and were proving frustrating).

As I am writing this I recognise that this says so much more about me than anyone else. I am someone who likes to commit their energy to places where I can make a difference, whereas other people will continue to fight to influence and control things in that outer circle. I admire those people and love being around them, they inspire and challenge me as I dip my toe into the sphere of influence! (but don't ever ask me to go swimming in the circle of no control!)

Cath