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The Grid Project – In The Footsteps Of Phyllis…

Morturn

Morturn

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I have been taking part in the Birmingham Photographic Grid Project 2017. This year the theme is In the Footsteps of Phyllis Nicklin. Phyllis need no introduction you folks, we know and love her for the amazing archive of photographs she left us.


The aim of this yeas project is to retake all of her phots in and around Brum, so that we can see the changes made of the passing years. Details of the project, and her phots can be seem on Dave Aliens website here.

https://www.thegridproject.org.uk/TY.html

There will also be an exhibition and a short run hardback book once the project is completed at the end of this year. I understand that 2018 would have been the year of her 100th birthday.


It was fascinating waking in the footsteps of Phyllis today, having to work out just where she stood all those years ago. I would like to share with you the then and new images from the four locations I have chosen to take.

FOR FURTHER DETAILS, IMAGES AND COMMENTS ABOUT THE PROJECT PLEASE GO TO THE THREAD LINK HERE:
https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/index.php?threads/the-grid-project-–-in-the-footsteps-of-phyllis….48077/

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Morturn said:
I have been taking part in the Birmingham Photographic Grid Project 2017. This year the theme is In the Footsteps of Phyllis Nicklin. Phyllis need no introduction you folks, we know and love her for the amazing archive of photographs she left us.


The aim of this yeas project is to retake all of her phots in and around Brum, so that we can see the changes made of the passing years. Details of the project, and her phots can be seem on Dave Aliens website here.

https://www.thegridproject.org.uk/TY.html

There will also be an exhibition and a short run hardback book once the project is completed at the end of this year. I understand that 2018 would have been the year of her 100th birthday.


It was fascinating waking in the footsteps of Phyllis today, having to work out just where she stood all those years ago. I would like to share with you the then and new images from the four locations I have chosen to take.
Click to expand...

The photos from the 2007 Birmingham Grid Project may also of interest to the Forum members...

https://www.thegridproject.org.uk/grid.html
 
I will keep you all posted about the Grid Project.

Note. Maybe we could do something with the Keith Berry collection too at some stage.
 
Just been having a look through some of these "now and then" shots, I notice that some of the 2017 photographers are not listed in bold type and where this is the case their pictures are not accessible, will this change or is it that they wish that their contributions remain unpublished?
 
devonjim said:
Just been having a look through some of these "now and then" shots, I notice that some of the 2017 photographers are not listed in bold type and where this is the case their pictures are not accessible, will this change or is it that they wish that their contributions remain unpublished?
Click to expand...

These are photos still to be taken and the gaps will be filled.

I have just taken on six more locations and have chosen a few of the more difficult shots, so I may be asking for the help of the forum members soon.

Just to let everyone know, there will be an exhibition of the completed Grid Project in the new year so everyone can enjoy.
 
The Birmingham Photographic Grid Project 2017 – in the Footsteps of Phyllis update:​


There will be an exhibition of all of the now and then photos taken for the Grid Project 2017 at Birmingham Library in the Level 3 Gallery Saturday 14 July 2018 until 15 September 2018.
 
In The Footsteps Of Phyllis...
The Birmingham Photographic Grid Project 2017

I think the Brummagem Magazine - containing the article about the Nicklin project - is now in print.
 
The exibition of the photos taken for the The Birmingham Photographic Grid Project 2017is now open.

The exibition also includs large prints of a number of her origional photos and two projectors that cycle her images
 
It's in the diary Morturn but we'll be going sometime in August as we seem to be booked up at the moment. Really looking forward to it.
 
Viewed the exhibition today and thoroughly enjoyed it. Saw your photos Morturn and very good they were. Lots of memories and a few surprises too. We enjoyed comparing the images and I'm looking forward to seeing what's on the University website as apparently there are more pictures there. All in all, well worth a visit. Do go if you can folks.
 
Lady Penelope said:
Viewed the exhibition today and thoroughly enjoyed it. Saw your photos Morturn and very good they were. Lots of memories and a few surprises too. We enjoyed comparing the images and I'm looking forward to seeing what's on the University website as apparently there are more pictures there. All in all, well worth a visit. Do go if you can folks.
Click to expand...
A lot of Phylis Nicklins pictures can be seen here...
https://epapers.bham.ac.uk/chrysalis.html
 
Just to let the BHF members know, a new photographic Grid Project was launched in November 2022 and was carried out in Birmingham and Halifax in 2023. The project is now completed.

This project, In Search of Urban Happiness, used different methods to previous projects and, along with photographers, work from writers and poets was welcomed.

The project was based on Kevin Lynch's research at MIT where he formed a lot of ideas as to what makes urban happiness.

He says that:

"A good environmental image gives its possessor an important sense of emotional security."

"A legible city would be one whose districts or landmarks or pathways are easily identifiable and are easily grouped into an overall pattern."

Kevin Lynch, The Image of the City (1960).

This Grid Project was different in that it was divided up into five main themes:

Paths
Districts
Landmarks
Edges
Nodes.

Dave Allen a super Birmingham lad who organised the Grid Project also invited writers and poets to make a contribution.

Have a look here at the Grid Project and enjoy
 
Thanks Mort. I like the themes, a different approach to exploring places. But don't think I understand what 'Node' is and can't work that out from the photos
 
Thanks Viv. A node in this context is a point in the city that’s a focus point for people or activity. A place where paths cross, people meet and is iconic in character. Aston Cross, Five Ways and Six ways Erdington are I my opinion all good nodes as is the bull in New Street station.

I chose the bull by the Rotunda as both are iconic objects and places where paths cross and people meet.

I am quite a fan of the Birmingham bulls and how the New Street bull was portrayed in the games.
 
Got it ! Good idea.

Spent quite a but of time browsing the various sections.

A bit off Brum topic, but lovely to see Piece Hall, Halifax is included, reminds me of happy times there with my mum - browsing the little shops when the place was just starting to find a new use. A wonderful old building, where it's easy to imagine the 1700s bustling trade of cloth 'pieces'
 
Vivienne14 said:
Got it ! Good idea.

Spent quite a but of time browsing the various sections.

A bit off Brum topic, but lovely to see Piece Hall, Halifax is included, reminds me of happy times there with my mum - browsing the little shops when the place was just starting to find a new use. A wonderful old building, where it's easy to imagine the 1700s bustling trade of cloth 'pieces'
Click to expand...
Its nice that Halifax managed to hang onto so many old buildings so its nice when you come across images of places from your childhood past like this. I like seeing images of King Hall Market, like you a place I would spend time with my mum.
 
This looks really interesting Mort and I shall be looking at it later today.

Viv, I was listening to a podcast the other day and they mentioned 'Mole Days' where you visit places you knew and enjoyed as a as a child. The 'Mole' is apparently from Wind in the Willows and this is what he did - I shall definitely be adopting the phrase!
 
Lady Penelope said:
This looks really interesting Mort and I shall be looking at it later today.

Viv, I was listening to a podcast the other day and they mentioned 'Mole Days' where you visit places you knew and enjoyed as a as a child. The 'Mole' is apparently from Wind in the Willows and this is what he did - I shall definitely be adopting the phrase!
Click to expand...
That’s interesting Pen, I think we all have lots of places like that. Place attachment is quite powerful and will bond us to certain places. A little spot I love is Wetton Mill in Staffordshire. I am also quite fond of the area around Great Charles Street by the old Phillip Harris Building and St Pauls Square. Gas Street Basin holds a lot of childhood memory’s too.
 
Lady Penelope said:
This looks really interesting Mort and I shall be looking at it later today.

Viv, I was listening to a podcast the other day and they mentioned 'Mole Days' where you visit places you knew and enjoyed as a as a child. The 'Mole' is apparently from Wind in the Willows and this is what he did - I shall definitely be adopting the phrase!
Click to expand...
Don't you find that someone has been in and knocked it down?
 
Just to let the BHF members know, the photographic Grid Project was launched in November 2022 and was carried out in Birmingham and Halifax in 2023. The project is now completed and the public exhibition starts on Saturday 26 January and will run until mid-April 2025 in the Level 3 Gallery at the Library of Birmingham. Entrance to the exhibition is free.


The exhibition is a sample of the 3,631 photographs and 262 pieces of written work including some poetry to complement some of the images. I have contributed to several of the Grid Projects so a chance to see some of my photographic and written work.

This project, In Search of Urban Happiness, used different methods to previous projects and, along with photographers, work from writers and poets.

The project was based on Kevin Lynch's research at MIT where he formed a lot of ideas as to what makes urban happiness.

He says that:

"A good environmental image gives its possessor an important sense of emotional security."

"A legible city would be one whose districts or landmarks or pathways are easily identifiable and are easily grouped into an overall pattern."

Kevin Lynch, The Image of the City (1960).

This Grid Project was different in that it was divided up into five main themes:

Paths
Districts
Landmarks
Edges
Nodes.

Dave Allen a super Birmingham lad who organised the Grid Project also invited writers and poets to make a contribution.

Have a look here at the Grid Project and enjoy
 
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