Ideas

Leeds Public spaces

1.       Unvelling of the black prince statue in City Center square in 1903

2.       Leeds elections

3.       The YEP endeavoured to keep the spirts of its reasers up during the first world war by printing letters home from Yorkshiremen embroiled in the conflict

4.       Crowds thronged the streets on August 19 1931, as Graf Zeppelin airship flew over leeds

5.       The domination with Leeds united as the dominated enlglish football under managerial great Don Revie during 1960’s and 1970’s.

6.       Leeds suffered one of its worst ever disasters in December 1975 when fire ravaged Kirk gate market

7.       The miners’ strike of 1984 to 1985

8.       The eyes of entertainment world repeatedly turned to Leeds during the 1980s as Round hay park played host to some of the biggest names in music.

9.       Nelson Mandela millennium square 2001

10.   Bob Marley & the Wailers Live at Leeds/ The show at Leeds Polytechnic is the Wailers at their peak in 1973. November 23^rd

11.   Gay pride

Studio Brief 01: Researching & screen printing Bob Marley

Researching & Screen Printing 

From researching into various subjects I decided to create posters about Bob Marley, I want to create vibrant posters that make people feel good about them selfs around Leeds City Center, to make a social impact and Due to Bob Marley being a massive social influence with his political songs albums and speeches of positivity I feel that this would be a positive outcome. 

To begin with I started to look at Political and social posters which have already been created relating to Bob Marley. What was interesting to find is that many posters that were found used the usual Jamaican colours red, green, blue and yellow. The posters which were found had bold bright text on them which stand out, much like how bob Marley did. To create my traditional prints I will use bold and heavy type and imagery to link it with similar posters. 

These are some Experiments which I carried out using Bobs outline and typography which i created to create a relaxed feel due to Bob being a relaxed person as he also gets a high a lot. However what i found when trying to experiment with colours is that the black overpowered the light type so therefore did not work and you couldn't really see it. For this reason I then started some new experiments: 

From this I Then began to experiment with finals changing colours and text to make them more relevant to the subject matter. I decided to change the colour as previous experimentation I found that dark colour on the background and light colours on the top didn't work and were not legible. I also gained this knowledge from feedback given. 

Overall I am happy with this outcome, if i were to do this again I would take more time creating more experiments, i did do more experiments but dropped water all over them so I do not have them to post on here, however from these experiments they have given me a far more suitable outcome. The posters look happy and joyful and there for connect socially with public and also give people confidents and tell them what to do, as bob was known for his political power which rose many more people to have confidents, these posters remind people to be confident and stand up for what they believe in, and make them happy. 

Studio Brief 01: Nelson Mandela Millennium square 2001

Memorable day 





NELSON Mandela's smile does not change. His beaming grin, which causes crinkles around his eyes, is infectious. 

So it was when he visited Leeds in 2001, attracting thousands to Millennium Square at the front of Leeds Civic Hall. 

Mr Mandela, Nobel Peace Laureate, man of forgiveness, the man who more than any other ensured there was no bloodbath when apartheid was abolished and power changed hands in South Africa, was in Leeds for a variety of reasons.

He was to receive the Freedom of the City. He was to formally open Millennium Square. He was to re-dedicate Mandela Gardens, named after him in 1983 as a gesture of support as he spent his 16th year in prison on Robben Island. 

He was also in Leeds in recognition of the hundreds of ordinary people of the city who took action to isolate apartheid South Africa and to contribute to bringing down its Government and introducing democracy. 

Collective 

Leeds Anti-Apartheid group was one of many, in Great Britain and around the world, that used collective power to help destroy apartheid. Members operated in trades unions, in schools and universities. 

They marched and demonstrated, lobbied politicians. They raised funds. They organised boycotts of banks and other businesses with trade links that helped prop up the apartheid regime.Many of the Yorkshire campaigners were in Millennium Square when the "old man" made his visit to Leeds seven years ago. 

The day was one of many great days they had enjoyed. There was the great day on which Mr Mandela was filmed walking to freedom in South Africa. Jon Snow, TV newsman who had covered that tumultuous event, was in Leeds in 2001 for the visit. 

There was the great day in 1994 when the African National Congress swept to power in South Africa's first democratic elections, with Nelson Mandela as the country's President. But now here was another great day, the day when Nelson Mandela came to Leeds.

He walked more slowly than on his walk to freedom. He had become frail. But the smile was still there. He left Leeds Civic Hall after shaking hands with civic leaders – including those who had opposed the naming of Mandela Gardens after him in 1983. 

In 2001 they stood in line to greet him as one of the world's great statesman. At the time I wrote: "It is hard to comprehend the nature and character of a man whose forgiveness of his enemies is total, whose commitment to reconciliation is so absolute that not one word of anger has been recorded against those who sought to destroy him, mentally and physically, for so many decades." 

Nelson Mandela Art 

Studio Brief 01: Gay Pride

Gay Pride

Leeds LGBT Pride is an annual LGBT Pride celebration held in the city of Leeds West Yorkshire. It has been running since 2006, and in its tenth year (2016) had over 40,000 people in attendance, with the figure expected to grow in year on year.

The day usually starts in Millenium square at around 11.00am with Live Music, Performances, Speeches and a small amount of stalls. At around 2.00pm the Pride Parade sets off with floats, music and a march through Leeds owards Lower Briggate and The calls , the main Gay Village of Leeds, known collectively as the gayleeds. The gayleeds area is then host to a large street party with music, alcohol, a funfair, and street stalls. The street party goes on until late, with many people entering the nightclubs and bars later in the evening.

What Is LGBT really mean? 

LGBT. These letters stand for “lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender.” They also stand for “love, grace, beauty, and truth.” The challenges of, and the solutions to, creating a different world are intertwined in these two representations of these four letters. Peace, hope, faith, and dignity are the winners and losers, depending on whether or not ignorance, prejudice, closed-mindedness, and fear take part in the battle.

Love is the game changer. It fills the human heart with the joy that could and should belong to all people. I have heard it said that a sorrow shared is a sorrow halved, and that a joy shared is a joy doubled. And I have seen people professing proudly and publicly in the name of God that two lesbian women are not entitled to the same kind of joy that is freely available to a man and a woman. It is the very essence of hate that two committed human beings should not be allowed to proclaim their love to their families and friends, to their neighbors and coworkers, to their communities, and to God for the petty reason that they are of the same sex.

Grace is the unspoken, moment-by-moment lifetime that takes place throughout our land when two gay men are not allowed to proclaim their love while walking in a society that feasts on the same joy they are denied. It is like sitting in a restaurant, starving to death, and watching the other patrons devour a seven-course meal. The Merriam-Webster online dictionary includes this definition of “grace”: “a controlled, polite, and pleasant way of behaving.” This is the perfect analogy for the way the LGBT persons of the world are asked to face discrimination. Society essentially says to us, “You starve while I feast, and please be controlled, polite, and pleasant about it.” We are asked to demonstrate a saint-like amount of grace on a daily basis.

“Beauty” is the spot-on synonym for “bisexual.” Often the most misunderstood part of the “LGBT” acronym, bisexuality is typically defined as sexual attraction toward both males and females. This description often inappropriately conflates bisexuality with infidelity, promiscuity, and noncommitment. The beauty is lost in the description and never allowed to shine. Love can sometimes transcend gender. It is love in its purest form. It is a love for a human being that is not contingent on that person’s gender. Imagine looking at a rainbow and saying, “I love the rainbow because it contains the color blue,” or, “I love the rainbow because it contains the color red.” Now imagine looking at the rainbow and saying, “I love it not because of the colors it contains but because of the message it sends to the world.”

“Truth” becomes the definition of “transgender” when a person stops pretending to be someone they are not. I did not transition. I transitioned the way I present myself to you, and I transitioned your understanding of who I am, but I am the same woman I have always been. What I did was begin telling you the truth about me. And in the process, I bloomed like a flower finally allowed to live in the light.

Wherever we are, being who we are is the most powerful tool we have in our battle for equality. Positive visibility is the opener of doors. Letting others see the human being who does not fit into the binary is the means by which we create more space for ourselves and for the LGBT* next generation. Love, grace, beauty, and truth are aspects of our humanness that are seldom the focus of who we truly are. Part of the movement toward equality needs to embrace these qualities.

At the same time, we must continue the fight. Silence about our oppression does not facilitate change. Allies are an extraordinarily important part of our struggle for an end to legalized discrimination. I believe that the people who line up next to me when I enter the battleground do so for two reasons: first, because they know that oppression in any form is wrong and needs to be changed, and second, because they have experienced my humanness in a way that clarifies what they are fighting for.

Knowledge and information are the keys to acceptance and understanding. Fear and ignorance are the locks. When one person shares, it is like putting a key in a lock. When one person listens, the key turns and the lock opens. Another human being has a bright, new, shiny key. Together, one person at a time, we change the world.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. Love, grace, beauty, and truth. It is all one and the same.

Studio Brief 01: Researching topics: Unveiling of the Black Prince Statue Leeds

Unveiling of the black Prince Statue leeds 

Leeds Locals were somewhat confused when Edward the Black prince and his steed were unveiled in stone in 1903 - theBlack Prince has no connection to leeds at all. 

The statue of the Black prince was commissioned by Thomas Harding, the mayor of Leeds, to celebrate Leeds' new status as a city. A local champion,such as crusader Henry de Lacy,was rejected in favour of a nationally prominent figure: Edward the Black Prince, eldest son of EdwardIII.

The Black Prince was created by leading sculptor Sir Thomas Brock (1847-1922). The Bronze sculpture was so huge that it has to be cast in Belgium, as there was no foundry in Britain large enough  - and be towed into Leeds by canal boat. 

Edward Prince of Wales (1330-76) is shown in chain mail armour with helmet and sword. Brock based his design on the Black Prince's effigy and accoutrements in Canterbury Cathedral.The top of the pedestal is decorated with shields showing the Royal Arms and the three ostrich figures of the Prince of Wales. At the four corners of the pedestal are leopard's heads.

Why Leeds? 

The answer was simple. In history there was no figure with local associations heroic enough for the site. It was essential an equestrian statue should be selected; the difficulty was to find the subject. Henry de Lacy, the Crusader, has a place in local traditions by reason of the share he is reputed to have taken in the foundation of Kirkstall Abbey, but it was thought crucial for a larger figure in the national history to be represented. At that time there were no memorials of the great Duke of Marlborough, of Henry V, or of Edward III, and his son, the Black Prince.

The choice fell on the romantic personality of the Black Prince, born in 1330. The origins of the Black Prince name are uncertain. Theories suggest it is derived from his black shield as well as black armour; or that it was applied from a brutal reputation, particularly towards the French. During Edward the Third’s reign, England stood proud as a world power. Then began the great struggle with France which, with one interruption, went on with varying fortunes for around 120 years. After the Black Prince’s death in 1376, the tide of war turned against Britain until some 40 years later came Henry the Fifth’s victory at Agincourt. The Black Prince sculpture was commissioned by industrialist Colonel Thomas Walter Harding. Born in 1843 at Lille, France, where his Leeds-based father had a factory, he was educated at Leeds Grammar School, and later built extensions to the Tower Works in Holbeck in 1899 and the 1920s. He proposed and financed a number of sculptures when City Square was remodelled to create an open space to mark Leeds’s elevation from town to city in 1893. The site had formerly been occupied by the Coloured Cloth Hall and Quebec House. William Bakewell was engaged as architect and work began in 1897.

Mayor of Leeds 1898-1899, Harding entrusted the Black Prince project to sculptor Thomas Brock (1847-1922) who had come to prominence with his Prince Albert statue for the Albert Memorial, unveiled in 1872. Brock’s Leeds sculpture was his most significant provincial commission and, praised as being careful in its detailing and powerful in its impact. Supporting the Prince is a pedestal with relief panels, depicting land and sea battles, evoking his heroism against France. The base also includes a scroll of names. One of these is Van Artevelde, the democratic ruler of the Flemish States, whose influence on Edward III led the English King to encourage the weavers, fullers and dyers of cloth to come over, not only to Norfolk, but to the West Riding. Brock took seven years to complete the work which had to be cast in Belgium, being too large for a foundry in Britain. On completion the bronze was conveyed by barge from 
Hull along the River Aire to Leeds.

Brock was at hand when workmen, rising at dawn, lifted the enormous piece into position. Later, he would be noted for creating the Queen Victoria Memorial, another work of immense proportions, in the Mall, London. In Leeds, the Black Prince is central in a circular raised platform about 100 feet in diameter and surrounded 
by a balustrade of polished marble. Placed on this balustrade were eight statues of allegorical figures representing “Morn” 
and “Even” and they were executed by Alfred Drury (1856 -1944). Two triangular spaces terminate an outer balustrade on the Post Office side, and on this particular stretch statues of Joseph Priestley (Scientist), Dean Hook (Divine), John Harrison (philanthropist), and James Watt (inventor) were positioned. Besides the Black Prince, Harding presented all the other statuary in the City Square with the exception of the 
John Harrison and James Watt pieces. The Black Prince was unveiled in front of thousands of spectators at noon, September 16 1903.

Flags waved from many a building and occupants peeked from windows. Shortly after noon, Colonel Harding, was greeted by 
loud cheers as he made a 
formal presentation of the monuments . In spite of some criticism, he had no regrets in selecting the Black Prince to dominate the square. He said the hero of Crecy and Poitiers, the flower of English chivalry, the upholder of the liberties of the English people, would remain an emblem of manly and unselfish virtues which. In another ceremony later in the day, at the Victoria Hall, Harding was created a Freeman of the City.

Studio Brief 01: Bob Marley live in Leeds celebration of music and political tour

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8QetxoSHp4
https://youtu.be/_aSbzmI-_0k

Wailers Live at Leeds Polytechnic, November 23, 1973

After a grueling west coast trip in the US from October through November, The Wailers fly back to the UK for an appearance at Leeds Polytechnic Institute.

Here is a review of that show from the December 1, 1973 issue of Melody Maker.

Bob Marley Art 

Who is Bob Marley? 

Jamaican singer, musician and songwriter Bob Marley served as a world ambassador for reggae music and sold more than 20 million records throughout his career—making him the first international superstar to emerge from the so-called Third World.

Bob Marley was born on February 6, 1945, in St. Ann Parish, Jamaica. In 1963, Marley and his friends formed the Wailing Wailers. The Wailers' big break came in 1972, when they landed a contract with Island Records. Marley went on to sell more than 20 million records throughout his career, making him the first international superstar to emerge from the so-called Third World. He died in Miami, Florida, on May 11, 1981.

Early Life in Jamaica

Born on February 6, 1945, in St. Ann Parish, Jamaica, Bob Marley helped introduce reggae music to the world and remains one of the genre's most beloved artists to this day. The son of a black teenage mother and much older, later absent white father, he spent his early years in St. Ann Parish, in the rural village known as Nine Miles.

One of his childhood friends in St. Ann was Neville "Bunny" O'Riley Livingston. Attending the same school, the two shared a love of music. Bunny inspired Bob to learn to play the guitar. Later Livingston's father and Marley's mother became involved, and they all lived together for a time in Kingston, according to Christopher John Farley's Before the Legend: The Rise of Bob Marley.

Arriving in Kingston in the late 1950s, Marley lived in Trench Town, one of the city's poorest neighborhoods. He struggled in poverty, but he found inspiration in the music around him. Trench Town had a number of successful local performers and was considered the Motown of Jamaica. Sounds from the United States also drifted in over the radio and through jukeboxes. Marley liked such artists as Ray Charles, Elvis Presley, Fats Domino, and the Drifters.

Marley and Livingston devoted much of their time to music. Under the guidance of Joe Higgs, Marley worked on improving his singing abilities. He met another student of Higgs, Peter McIntosh (later Peter Tosh) who would play an important role in Marley's career.

The Wailers

A local record producer, Leslie Kong, liked Marley's vocals and had him record a few singles, the first of which was "Judge Not," released in 1962. While he did not fare well as a solo artist, Marley found some success joining forces with his friends. In 1963, Marley, Livingston, and McIntosh formed the Wailing Wailers. Their first single, "Simmer Down," went to the top of the Jamaican charts in January 1964. By this time, the group also included Junior Braithwaite, Beverly Kelso and Cherry Smith.

The group became quite popular in Jamaica, but they had difficulty making it financially. Braithewaite, Kelso, and Smith left the group. The remaining members drifted a part for a time. Marley went to the United States where his mother was now living. However, before he left, he married Rita Anderson on February 10, 1966.

After eight months, Marley returned to Jamaica. He reunited with Livingston and McIntosh to form the Wailers. Around this time, Marley was exploring his spiritual side and developing a growing interest in the Rastafarian movement. Both religious and political, the Rastafarian movement began in Jamaica in 1930s and drew its beliefs from many sources, including Jamaican nationalist Marcus Garvey, the Old Testament, and their African heritage and culture.

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GALLERY

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For a time in the late 1960s, Marley worked with pop singer Johnny Nash. Nash scored a worldwide hit with Marley's song "Stir It Up." The Wailers also worked with producer Lee Perry during this era; some of their successful songs together were "Trench Town Rock," "Soul Rebel" and "Four Hundred Years."

The Wailers added two new members in 1970: bassist Aston "Family Man" Barrett and his brother, drummer Carlton "Carlie" Barrett. The following year, Marley worked on a movie soundtrack in Sweden with Johnny Nash.

Big Break

The Wailers got their big break in 1972 when they landed a contract with Island Records, founded by Chris Blackwell. For the first time, the group hit the studios to record a full album. The result was the critically acclaimed Catch a Fire. To support the record, the Wailers toured Britain and the United States in 1973, performing as an opening act for both Bruce Springsteen and Sly & the Family Stone. That same year, the group released their second full album, Burnin', featuring the hit song "I Shot the Sheriff." Rock legend Eric Clapton released a cover of the song in 1974, and it became a No. 1 hit in the United States.

Before releasing their next album, 1975's Natty Dread, two of the three original Wailers left the group; McIntosh and Livingston decided to pursue solo careers as Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer, respectively. Natty Dread reflected some of the political tensions in Jamaica between the People's National Party and the Jamaica Labour Party. Violence sometimes erupted due to these conflicts. "Rebel Music (3 O'clock Road Block)" was inspired by Marley's own experience of being stopped by army members late one night prior to the 1972 national elections, and "Revolution" was interpreted by many as Marley's endorsement for the PNP.

For their next tour, the Wailers performed with I-Threes, a female group whose members included Marcia Griffiths, Judy Mowatt and Marley's wife, Rita. Now called Bob Marley & The Wailers, the group toured extensively and helped increase reggae's popularity abroad. In Britain in 1975, they scored their first Top 40 hit with "No Woman, No Cry."

Already a much-admired star in his native Jamaica, Marley was on his way to becoming an international music icon. He made the U.S. music charts with the album Rastaman Vibration in 1976. One track stands out as an expression of his devotion to his faith and his interest in political change: "War." The song's lyrics were taken from a speech by Haile Selassie, the 20th century Ethiopian emperor who is seen as a type of a spiritual leader in the Rastafarian movement. A battle cry for freedom from oppression, the song discusses a new Africa, one without the racial hierarchy enforced by colonial rule.

Politics and Assassination Attempt

Back in Jamaica, Marley continued to be seen as a supporter of the People's National Party. And his influence in his native land was seen as a threat to the PNP's rivals. This may have led to the assassination attempt on Marley in 1976. A group of gunmen attacked Marley and the Wailers while they were rehearsing on the night of December 3, 1976, two days before a planned concert in Kingston's National Heroes Park. One bullet struck Marley in the sternum and the bicep, and another hit his wife, Rita, in the head. Fortunately, the Marleys were not severely injured, but manager Don Taylor was not as fortunate. Shot five times, Taylor had to undergo surgery to save his life. Despite the attack and after much deliberation, Marley still played at the show. The motivation behind the attack was never uncovered, and Marley fled the country the day after the concert.

Living in London, England, Marley went to work on Exodus, which was released in 1977. The title track draws an analogy between the biblical story of Moses and the Israelites leaving exile and his own situation. The song also discusses returning to Africa. The concept of Africans and descendents of Africans repatriating their homeland can be linked to the work of Marcus Garvey. Released as a single, "Exodus" was a hit in Britain, as were "Waiting in Vain" and "Jamming," and the entire album stayed on the U.K. charts for more than a year. Today, Exodus is considered to be one of the best albums ever made.

Marley had a health scare in 1977. He sought treatment in July of that year on a toe he had injured earlier that year. After discovering cancerous cells in his toe, doctors suggested amputation. Marley refused to have the surgery, however, because his religious beliefs prohibited amputation.

Redemption Song

While working on Exodus, Marley and the Wailers recorded songs that were later released on the album Kaya (1978). With love as its theme, the work featured two hits: "Satisfy My Soul" and "Is This Love." Also in 1978, Marley returned to Jamaica to perform his One Love Peace Concert, where he got Prime Minister Michael Manley of the PNP and opposition leader Edward Seaga of the JLP to shake hands on stage.

That same year, Marley made his first trip to Africa, and visited Kenya and Ethiopia—an especially important nation to him, as it's viewed as the spiritual homeland of Rastafarians. Perhaps inspired by his travels, his next album, Survival (1979), was seen as a call for both greater unity and an end to oppression on the African continent. In 1980, Bob Marley & The Wailers played an official independence ceremony for the new nation of Zimbabwe.

A huge international success, Uprising (1980) featured "Could You Be Loved" and "Redemption Song." Known for its poetic lyrics and social and political importance, the pared down, folk-sounding "Redemption Song" was an illustration of Marley's talents as a songwriter. One line from the song reads: "Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery; none but ourselves can free our minds."On tour to support the album, Bob Marley & The Wailers traveled throughout Europe, playing in front of large crowds. They also planned a series of concerts in the United States, but the group would play only three concerts there — two at Madison Square Garden in New York City and one performance at the Stanley Theater in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania—before Marley became ill. The cancer discovered earlier in his toe had spread throughout his body.

Death and Memorial

Traveling to Europe, Bob Marley underwent unconventional treatment in Germany, and was subsequently able to fight off the cancer for months. It soon became clear that Marley didn't have much longer to live, however, so the musician set out to return to his beloved Jamaica one last time. Sadly, he would not manage to complete the journey, dying in Miami, Florida, on May 11, 1981.

Shortly before his death, Marley had received the Order of Merit from the Jamaican government. He had also been awarded the Medal of Peace from the United Nations in 1980. Adored by the people of Jamaica, Marley was given a hero's send-off. More than 30,000 people paid their respects to the musician during his memorial service, held at the National Arena in Kingston, Jamaica. Rita Marley, Marcia Griffiths, Judy Mowatt sang and the Wailers performed at the ceremony.

Legacy

Bob Marley achieved several great accomplishments during his lifetime, including serving as a world ambassador for reggae music, earning induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, and selling more than 20 million records—making him the first international superstar to emerge from the so-called Third World.

Decades after his passing, Marley's music remains widely acclaimed. His musical legacy has also continued through his family and longtime bandmates; Rita continues to perform with the I-Threes, the Wailers and some of the Marley children. (Bob Marley reportedly fathered nine children, though reports vary.) Marley's sons, David "Ziggy" and Stephen, and daughters Cedella and Sharon (Rita's daughter from a previous relationship who was adopted by Bob) played for years as Ziggy Marley & the Melody Makers, later performing as the Melody Makers. (Ziggy and Stephen have also had solo successes.) Sons Damian "Gong Jr." Ky-Mani and Julian are also talented recording artists. Other Marley children are involved in related family businesses, including the Tuff Gong record label, founded by Marley in the mid-1960s.

Marley's commitment to fighting oppression also continues through an organization that was established in his memory by the Marley family: The Bob Marley Foundation is devoted to helping people and organizations in developing nations.