Colonization (2022)

Primary Thoughts | Observations.

To initiate a project entertaining the terms Colonialism and Colonization, I began  undertaking some simple empirical anthropological research in my natural surrounding environments. This was a way of clearing the pallette of previous thoughts, so I could start thinking afresh about dominance and subserviance in the widest sense. On many daily walks through the leafy West London suburbs of Ealing, Chiswick, Kew, Brentford, and Osterley I began taking photographs, making sketches, and compiling notes of invasive phenomena, instances of one 'thing' claiming the space of an other 'thing'.

I worked several of these up as machette Animations,  to give myself time to process my thoughts and discover where and how this work could evolve. I  began gathering field recording, generating foli sounds, and sampling music to remix and alter into sound scapes. These serve as markers of this early stage of this projects inception.

Kew . TW9

West London is littered with parks, green spaces, and colonial gardens. From Kew garden to York House in Twickenham (the former home of the TATA family)  there is an annual invasion and residue of autumnal leaves. Activated by wind, they gather and take on animistic forms, which converge and dance in corners, obfuscating any objects which attempts to block thier path.

Brentford. TW8

From my window where I sit and make, I see regular periodic visitations of flocks of birds playing and loitering on the rooftops of Brentfords victorian terraces. Sparrows , Starlings, Magpies, Blue Tits, and Pigeons all rotate authority of the rooftop tiles and electric cables as if by some form of agreed timetable.

Osterly. TW8

Morning Dew on blades of grass and Condesation on discarded metal objects. When we look closer at objects we see there is a continous unfolding of encroachments and harmonic reliances and co-existance. I've heard many times 'It's human nature to expand and take over things', that its a natural order. I've also heard 'As above, as below'.  Is it the incorporation of a specific intelligence that prevents forms of invasion?

Ealing. W5

You can walk from Brentford (Boston Manor Park )to Ealing Broadway (Walpole Park) through several adjoined parks.  A few years back they refurbished the small man made lake ponds. Over the years a colony of very large Alien looking Catfish has emerged and  taken over the murky waters and fearlessly and noisily feed off the algae covered reeds. Once a process is set in place, it will continue to expand unless there is a depletion of resourse or a direct intervention.

Colonies (2022)

Secondary Thoughts | Reactions.

The Waltzing Shadow 2022

Shadow States fear light, hence they will do everything in their power to omit it. Once illuminated they lose their presence.

Death of a Salesman 2022

A very long time ago, on a trip to India aged seven, I remember a particular person state, that India would return to its former wealth. It seemed impossible when around me there were no toilets, fridges, or even TVs. We cooked our dinner on fireplaces build of mud. We can now see a very different economic outlook emerging. This asks the question, how far will any Country go to prevent losing their rank or position.

Paper Provenance (2022)

I keep thinking back to the image rendered by a  reading of the allegory of Cartographer map on th opening page of Jean Baurillard simulations, which Nicolas Bourriaud picks up on in Post Production. It is a really powerful image of visualising Human Colonisation, of a temporary blanket placed over the earth. Whenever I see road or pavement works, its shocks me at how thin our layer of world / Cities/ town etc... really is, its almost like we are living on the skin that forms on boiled milk as it cools down.

Tertiary Thoughts | Responses