Matchbox Workshop

The BRIT V&D department are currently working within an old derelict shop in the “Whitgift centre” in Croydon rather than the studio at the BRIT school site. The shop before it closed was called “Legends”, for those of you that don’t remember the shop it’s just by the underpass in the whitgift. Being able to work in a shop and using the space as our studio for a two month period is invigorating to say the least. So much has already been learnt and produced- 3d works, portraits of the public etc etc. Working within the community allows us to experience what it would be like to have a studio within the public eye. At first I was optimistic about the public’s interactions and interest but so far so good! Everyday people stop by and look at what we’ve displayed in the shop windows and if they see us out and about drawing they always ask about the project. When i’ve asked the public about their reactions to seeing the shop open and being used as a studio most say that it’s good to finally see the space being used after the shop being derelict for 3 years. The following is an account of one of the workshops we have completed on site in Croydon.

The matchbox workshop was amazingly successful as is allowed us to make Individual outcomes whilst experimenting with and considering typography and 3d elements. Our task was to create a 3d character- that can be found on a keyboard- through using only a matchbox, its contents and masking tape, no other materials could be used, however we were able to use the surroundings to our advantage- holes in the shop wall for example.

I chose to make the letter “F”. To make this letter I made a robot that from the side resembled “F”. I used the main body of the match box to make up the actual body of the robot then used matches as legs and arms. From a side view of the robot you can see directly through it, this makes the letter more interesting to look at rather than just a block. I chose to make an actual character from the matchboxes because I wanted something different- and at first I thought that I had to make a character rather than a letter, but fortunately with a little bit of fiddling around with the placement of the arms and legs a successful “F” could be seen.

I placed the Robot “F” on the main counter inside the shop because to view the letter properly you had to be at the same level as the piece. I think that overall my piece was successful as I considered the placement of my piece within the shop and how i could used certain raised areas to my advantage, I also fulfilled the task as I totally finished and set up the piece within the time limit.