Second tutorial learned

While on holidays, tried a few tutorials on after effects as I feel that my technical skills will definately needs to be improved. Out of the image below I created 3D moving space. Although very simple and with too many visible mistakes that would need to be edited, as a first try- it shown me, how much you can do with computer these days and its just a very basic.

Reference

The »nojuku« or »box people«, not always jobless but homeless, try to live clean and orderly in basic shelters built from ply-board, cardboard and blue waterproof fabric. The lowest standard of »living rooms« are folded carton boxes, used only overnight in subway stations. This temporary housing is often in very prominent and public areas, e.g. close to temples and in famous parks with many cardboard villages of up to 300 - 500 people - numbers exploding.
(http://www.kajofoto.de/reportages_homeless.html#)

Reference

Michael Rakowitz/ParaSite

Key words:
Joins + Junctions
space disarrangement
Illusion/inserted fictional spaces
Transition from one space to another
Overlaying

Reference

Margaret Morton : The Tunnel

Beautiful book I discovered, exploring homeless lifes in New York, specifically on one of the tunnels that has been abandoned. They are called homeless, but it's amazing what suroundings you can make out in street in order to have at least something, that reminds you of comfortable home. With little stories next to the pictures, it just makes me think that there is so many different people with completely different living styles, living conditions and you won't even notice it while you living just a normal "standard" life. Although it's a non-easy living, it brings completely different perspective into living a life. More about the book here.

I went back to my drawings and sketches to find some inspiration in them so decided to upload them too. Interesting how the whole idea changes over time and how much research can influence your work. Although I'm still in process of research development, I feel that having homeless theme as a base point and looking to it more as an abstract subject rather than rebuilding etc. what's been there before will be less limiting me to go further with ideas and concept.

Details of the model and it's projections

So we got 3 days excercise called "six and the city". Although I will have only two full days of work, as I can't come on saturday. But overall i'm really excited and think that it will be good chance to forget about main project for a little and come back with completely fresh mind and ideas, also broaden our views on what could be done on our own projects. So straight to my mind came book called Beyond Architecture: Imaginative buildings and fictional cities. I already been a massive fan of that book and now it came to the point that it's a perfect reference for the excercise. As the book is now under references in the library, I wrote down the names that deals with models turned into cities and creating fictional living spaces.

• Franz Hofner & Harry Sachs (Housen)
• Edouard Sautai (Cardboard City)
• Stephanie Backes
• Veron Urdarianu
• Rob Voerman (Megafarm)
• Matias Bechfold (Rakete) (Ostkreuz) (Allstadt)
• Anna Surranno (Cartonlandia)
• Peach Beach (Wemix City)
• Nathan Coley

• Possible locations of forgotten places/gaps/doorways/spaces in between with spatial qualities.
• Collect rubbish myself and build proposals from found materials.
• Visualisation through film medium.

Inspired by earlier poem i had a blog on + dictionary definition for parasitic architecture.

Cathy Come Home

Film I found based on 60's England. The play tells the story of a young couple, Cathy and Reg . Initially their relationship flourishes and they have a child and move into a modern home. When Reg is injured and loses his well-paid job, they are evicted by bailiffs, and they face a life of poverty and unemployment, illegally squatting in empty houses and staying in shelters. Finally, Cathy has her children taken away by social services.

Cardboard city for Italian immigrants.

Unbelievable structures human mind can create in order to survive.

Untitled by Nigel Faithfull

A poet sits alone
All his thoughts are of home
A home where he longs to be
A long way off in Reality

About Nigel Faithfull:
Nigel is destitute and homeless not only in reality "but in my own imagination." He was inspired to write the poem by "a mirage of a dream that could have been".

Home - What Does it Mean? by Bollom

A security blanket of bricks and mortar
Never having to be cold
Closing a door on the world
Content in the knowledge that this one space
This one area is mine
To welcome in others to this one world
Boundaries that no one can breach
Freedom to laugh or cry
To never again wake in the night
Or to hear jeering laughter or those words
"Can you move along please"
To stand and watch the rain or snow
Protected by a window, looking out at a world
That doesn't care, or can't or won't
Knowing that now I'm safe, and sound, and secure

What does a home mean to me?
All the above and so much more
No mere words have the power to explain
Just to know that those I love are safe
Just to know that I am safe
And never ever again to wake
To feel the wind or the ran beat down
To look at my hands that once held so many dreams
Just to know that never, ever again
Will I have to face that hell.
To feel safe and secure once more.

About Bollom:
Bollom says he became homeless "as a result of my own stupidity". He was inspired to write this poem as a result of talking to a friend and realising what he hadn't got.

Home Sweet Home! by Christoff Brunetti

Having a home is to be
Out of the chilly wind
And the rain.
A place where you can close
The door on any pain.
Having a home is a roof
Over your dreams
To build a better tomorrow
And erase any sorrow.
Having a home is a place
Where you can enjoy your
Kids, family and friends
And share your dreams with no ends.
Having a home is being able
To have roots from which you
Can let grow your creativity.
Share it with your loved ones
And being able with a smile
To say "c´est la vie."

Home Sweet Home!

About Christoff Brunetti:
Christoff lost his home following losing his job. This poem and illustration was inspired by 'enjoying' the outside life for a while.

My Home is a Reflection of Who I Am by Martin Curtis

In my home, the gap under my door
Lets through the perfect little breeze
So I can breathe, sleep deep
And live at ease
Whereas the doorways where I used
To sleep (one eye always open)
Are a nightmare confined to a past
Locked out by home's strong walls and door
Home is the place where I know
Each piece of creaky floor
Where I can find the coffee which
Lives behind one of my cupboard doors
When I get back cold, curl up on a rug
Cupped in my hands, a steaming mug
To thaw away a cold night, the elements
My home is real, it has no pretence
Its scent is stale tobacco, incense, herbal tea
Those very smells say 'HOME' to me
Glowing off white colour, artexed o'erhead
Remind me of the summer sun
The freedom that my home freely gives
Means its so much more than 'where I live'.

About Martin Curtis:
Martin became homeless when he came out of prison. The draft from underneath the bedroom door inspired the poem - no home is perfect and neither are the people that live in them.

Immigrant by John Sheehy

Torn between two lands
Its not easy not
To
Feel
Affection
For ones hometown
And my adopted land
Spirit pulled between
Strings
Emotions buried
Beneath emotions
Waves of memories
Thoughts, loss, fears,
Uncertainties, achievements
The mountain I climbed
Inhabited in dreams
Yours to the
Bone
Physically
Imprinted

About John Sheehy:
John immigrated to London from Ireland in the 1950's and has been living here ever since. He has experienced many periods of homelessness in this time. He is a prolific artist; enjoying painting as well as poetry, a strong member of The Creativity Centre.

A Poem for Home by Marcus Jones

The songs of liberation the busker sings,
Doesn't mean a thing when you don't have a home
Home is a place within, so much more
Than steel, brick or tin

Home is my shelter, my healing place.
Where hot chocolate runs on tap,
And time is no longer watched
By prying eye or clutching hand.

Home is where I can lick my wounds,
Recover from the blasted heat and fires
Or winter's frost and broken dreams
Home is there, waiting in body as well as mind.

Turning the key and entering
Another world a private sanctuary,
This is what home means to me,
My hiding place, can you see me?

About Marcus:
When Marcus became homeless due to relationship difficulties, he was placed in hostel accommodation. He recently gained a place on a scholarship programme with Caer Las Cymru, where he is able to draw upon his personal experience to help support vulnerable adults, many of whom have experienced homelessness.

A route I've done searching for a homeless.
Yellow- starting point
Red-walking journey
Blue- train journey
Black- passed/met homeless

http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/video/2010/nov/06/sheffield-doc-fest-penny-woolcock

ON THE STREETS - BBC4

Documentary on homeless around Waterloo and Southbank area.
Acclaimed director Penny Woolcock's first documentary in 10 years saw her spending eight months with homeless people in London. Here she describes the filming process and what she learned about the true nature of homelessness in the capital.


A MUST SEE.

Full documentary here.

Now that's what I needed. Journalist explores their way of living, why they happened to be on the streets and what's the story behind it. Although it's not exactly about Waterloo Bullring, but in the way shows their living style, where they get food from etc.

Here is a few quotes I wrote down while watching a film:

• Caffees, shops, waitressing, fucking everything- where is my home, where is my home???
• I don't care about my money, all I care is my home.
• Where do you sleep? "I tend to sleep on the night busses".
• They all got their own individual reasons to live on the streets.
• Deep in this corner, deep time of the night, there is a little fella that blinks his eyes half open.
• I don't wanna give up, throw myself out on the ground, want to give a little self respect.
• London is a selfish place.
• Hardest thing is taking rejection.
• Having a roof back makes you feel realise that you actually haven't got anything.

Untitled from monika sutkute on Vimeo.

Untitled from monika sutkute on Vimeo.

Screenshots from videos. Strand life.

These guys I met at Strand. Usual place for homeless to be, as coffee shops and restaurants is just nearby, there is always food for them and the place to sleep at night time. So after the first question do you anything about the places around the waterloo area, they straight away replied that no, they don't know, it's not their side. As i learned, there is two "cardboard cities". Waterloo side and Embankment side. Each of them has different communities and they mostly don't come along very well. Apart from this, I didn't get any useful information, just simple chit chatting. Although it opened my eyes, that people who lives like this on the streets for a long time, becomes abandoned of life what's going on around them.

I went back to Southbank/ Waterloo area to survey the homeless. As I was camera less for almost the whole week except for that day, felt a bit gutted not finding what i was looking for. But everything's from beginning.
So, my journey began taking a train to Charing Cross, thinking to find some homeless around Strand area, as they're always there. Finding out at least some contact details of someone who knows the area always works for me. Bought some cigarretes, although i don't smoke myself- learned that it's the best you can offer for the homeless, apart from money. Made sure i've got enough change in a pocket and started my discoveries.
Walking and searching through the streets made me feel almost like homeless myself- not knowing where exactly am i going and not knowing what im going to find. First person i saw was the guy selling big issue nearby covent garden market, skipped on him at first, but when i was passing him back, there was a girl sitting with him too. Although feeling shy, went to asked maybe he knows anything about the waterloo bullring and people who used to live there. All i heard was no, don't know, and the girl sitting next to him with a bottle of cider was completely drunk, so i thought i'll better carry on as this is going nowhere.
So turned my route towards Strand back again, and this time saw another guy selling big issue. Although even after showing some pictures he didn't know anyone, he just touched my heart. The first homeless i met that was so honest and had so much belief in life, future...For the first time talking to homeless made me feel so emotional listening to him rather than feeling sorry for choosing an easy way of living. Although he seemed busy on work, and i was ready to go without disturbing him, he started conversation and we talked for almost half an hour. I guess he felt lonely, you just could tell that in his eyes. His name was David, probably in his 40's, he looked like he's been looking after himself. After asking if he knows anyone who used to live in bullring, he apologised and said no, he's been on the streets for only two years. Had a family, wife, his own bussiness- appearently he was a fisherman. But relationship broke down, they divorsed, and most of the incomes and all money he had went to his wife, leaving him in debts. Not paying them would force him to go to the prison, but he said didn't want to go that way. So it left him living on the streets. And it's tough out there. At night all the nastyness comes out and where the horrible things happens. People getting beaten up, robbed. If not worse. He tries to sleep with a group of people, thats a bit safer. There's been time when he swore and even apologised, thought it's a nice gesture. It was just nice to see a person who still had self respect and a hope for a brighter future. After our chat he apologised, said it was lovely talking to me but he had to get back to work. After asking him if he smokes, he replied that yes, that's his only way to relief everything. I left him a few cigarretes and a three pounds- the look he gave me was just priceless- so much gratefullness in his eyes. Thanked me and said he will think and pray for me, the way he said it with so much thankfullness left me teary eyed. It was just so nice to meet this guy- hopefully i made his day a little easier.

http://www.sockmobevents.org.uk/

History:
	Following the success of the pilot run, in partnership with the London Fringe Festival in August 2010, the tours were re-launched on World Homeless Day (October 10th 2010) and rolling out permanently. These are tours with a social conscience, appealing to Londoners and visitors alike, and anyone who wants to connect with people from different walks of life. ‘London’s homeless are some of the most creative and resilient people to share our streets and we’re very lucky indeed to have such a wonderful team of them to help us uncover the richness of hidden London’ (Lidija Mavra, co-ordinator). Unseen Tours will challenge your view of what it means to be a person living in London. The tours will also directly contribute to improving the quality of life of some of London’s most marginalised people. Tickets cost either £5 or £8 (depending on circumstances) and the lion’s share will go to the guides themselves, enabling them to make a living and improve their situations. All profits will be reinvested back into Sock Mob Events, a social enterprise, to train more guides and continue to build their skills and creativity.
Biography:
	Meet our guides here: http://www.sockmobevents.org.uk/guides
Notes:
	The tours will take place from 10th October and continue through autumn and winter into 2011. Each tour will be fully supported by volunteers from the Sock Mob. Tours will run every Wednesday–Sunday, starting at 7pm Weds–Fri and 3pm on Saturdays and Sundays. For details of tour areas and times, and to book tickets, please visit www.sockmobevents.org.uk

Today watched a film-Koyaanisqatsi- Life out of Balance. As a response to that, straight to my mind came the short film taken in Lithuania (where I came from) called Flight Over Lithuania or 510 Seconds of Silence, created specially for Expo 2000 exhibition.

So I re-thought the whole idea inserting the memories of old waterloo into nowadays site and how can i do that. Thinking of having little shelters in walls inside tunnel made me think deeper about having it in real- would that rise political issues back again of encouraging people to live on streets not caring about paying for rent and regular living costs.
So i went down back where i came from- remembered how i wanted to turn the whole site into praxinoscope structure- as it's got the perfect shape for that. Rather than having an actual structures, i would like to remind to everyone how it used to be via film.

http://soramimi-works.net/mola/praxi.shtml