Trip to Liverpool Biennial 

Rain, brollies, mud, puddles. Main factors of the trip. I still had a great time looking at the art and design Biennial had to offer. Although looking at the perfectly constructed art pieces and the buildings was a pleasant experience, I was also interested in the graffiti on the walls which made the deserted gloomy streets look very ‘alive’. The vibrant colours emerging from the walls immediately captured my attention and forced me to stay still for a minute or two in the pouring rain and observe these hidden artworks more closely. This was one of my favourite pieces I set my eyes on throughout the trip. The pink background over a beautifully textured wall in a gloomy street created juxtaposition which was interestingly calming. A piece of art in itself on the doorsteps of an old warehouse, how convenient.  I suppose this is exactly what this project (journeys) is about, observing little things during a daily trip which you would normally take for granted. This experience definitely helped me realise that art can be found anywhere, there is no specific place or time for it, and you just have to have an open mind.

A small graffiti on the wall was not the only thing I took away from this visit; I also came across Kyungah Ham’s sensual abstract weave, in Copperas Hill exhibition. As I observed it more closely, I noticed a series of random words within the long colourful strips. It was a pleasant surprise as I wasn't expecting anything else from this piece because the selective use of colour and high embroidery skills made it look like a finished piece.  Although the words were quite random and did not come together as an understandable sentence, they were still very delicately placed on the woven silk. This piece got me thinking about my own project, how can I include words in my own work? As I had a long think about it during my way back to the coach, I came up with the idea of noting down all the words and numbers I see on the way back to Manchester as part of my visual research and if possible, develop this idea further as the project progresses.