Tuesday 3 November 2009

Mapping the 2001 Riot : Route, Event, Destruction

This image attempts to show and explain the direction and route of the 2001 Bradford riot. Displaying the main streets affected, and locations of major incidents. Although the rioting continued into the night and police pushed the mob towards residential Manningham, I have chosen to concentrate specifically on the triggers of the event in the city centre.

Sunday 1 November 2009

First Hand Disorder Experience : EDL Demo, Leeds

The English Defense League (EDL) and opposing United Against Fascism (UAF) both held rival demonstrations in Leeds yesterday (31st October). I was present to witness events unfold and observe how the Police managed the situation and any disturbance that occured. The WYP were out in very large numbers, and managed to contain disturbance to relatively low level, isolated incidents.























































Friday 23 October 2009

German Expressionist Cinema

The influence that this era had on the world of cinema as we know it is undeniable. Having both artistic and political dimensions, the stories are conveyed through subjective emotional elements reflected in the set design. I am particularly interested in what I can extract from these early cinematic ideas when creating my brief and building form.

The Cabinet of Dr Caligari
1919
Thought to be the first horror film, uses distinctive distorted perspectives as both a reflection of the splintered character and as symbolic emphasis as the plot develops.





















Metropolis
1929

Fritz Langs big budget masterpiece has heavy symbolic architectural references. Its story of the bleak capitalist society frequently contrasts rich vs poor with visual grandeur.



Not all Doom and Gloom...










Bradford wins Unesco City of Film award

The West Yorkshire city has trumped Los Angeles, Cannes and Venice to win the UN honour

www.guardian.co.uk, Friday 12 June 2009 00.17 BST

The world's first City of Film will be announced by Unesco today, with the honour going unexpectedly to Bradford.

Although Los Angeles, Cannes and Venice might have been considered shoo-ins for the title, the Yorkshire city has got there first with a bid based on classics such as Room at the Top and the latest work of British Bollywood.

Although it is better known for its textile heritage, Bradford nonetheless has a long tradition of film-making, built with the help of its striking landscape and local acting talent, including Billie Whitelaw and Tony Richardson. The successful bid has been powered by the National Media Museum, the most visited museum outside London, whose move to Bradford in 1983 was a turning point in the city's regeneration.

Brief Intro to Project....

7th July 2001
An intense riot occurred that would sadly live on and be remembered, becoming an automatic association with the already fractured City.
Confrontation had been rife across much of Northern England, with the
National Front's organised marches. David Blunkett had banned the march, but with trouble expected hundreds still gathered in Centenary Square, along with the Anti Nazi League counter demonstration. The situation soon spiralled out of control, and the police became the target of the conflict...

Two stabbed as race riot flares in Bradford

www.telegraph.co.uk
By Danielle Demetriou
Published: 12:01AM BST 08 Jul 2001

RACIAL violence flared in Bradford last night as riot police clashed with youths leaving two people stabbed and 18 arrested.

Groups of white and Asian youths pelted police with bricks, stones, bottles and road signs, injuring an officer attempting to restore order in the city. The clashes began after a group of white youths shouted racial insults at a crowd of about 500 mostly Asian men who were protesting against the National Front.

While the day started without incident, the protest descended into violent chaos after a group of white youths taunted demonstrators with racial comments as they left a pub. Hundreds of officers and a police helicopter were sent to help to restore order and monitor the spread of violence as clashes spread away from the city centre.

Violence later spread to the Manningham district of Bradford, as police cleared the city centre after three hours of unrest. Burning barricades were set up and youths hurled petrol bombs as officers on horseback charged the crowd in a bid to contain the violence. Police arrested 10 white men, a white woman and seven Asian men during the violence.