Immigmedia Greenhouse Project
Emily May Phipps
A community artist currently collaborating with SOLA ART that involves working with refugee and asylum seeker groups on a therapeutic art basis that also explores the growth of debate with regards to immigration and how this politically charged atmosphere at present is translated into both positive and negative demonstrations within a variety of media formats and is ultimately broadcasted to the general public, where it can often influence the consumers perception of the individuals discussed. A great understanding of these topics within the media is enhanced through workshops based within the refugee and asylum community and direct interaction with local journalists that have kindly donated their time to the development of this concept.
Mobility of the greenhouse that the piece is centralised around expresses and translates a constant journey that many of the participants undergo and serves as a mobile installation. This provides a diverse range of environments where it momentarily resides in with countless possible participants to engage with this hot house figure for discussion, debate, creativity and cultural interaction with all the viewers and participants that encounter it.
Previous pieces of work have explored and focused on the environment that the work inhabits and have often been used as a service for the community whereas some piece’s often develop the concept of travel, movement and the emotional imbalances formed from these physical distances.
A textile, site specific piece currently displayed within Liverpool Malmaison Hotel was a vital starting point for the progression of concepts surrounding the environments that work can be installed within which transitioned into the realm of community focused art with Immigmedia Greenhouse and offsprings of work such as a collaborative piece for a mural after the restoration of The Florrie that was previously renowned for being a community youth club and gave birth to many sport legends.
Previous Work
Malmaison Hotel - Chateau Malmaison
A textile site specific piece that was under a strict brief and designed to be aesthetically pleasing for the broad range of customers that Liverpool Malmaison receives.
The main focus was the idea of customers being of a business mind and travelling for long spaces of time away from their family and comforting surroundings. This informed the concept of a textile piece as they can often signify comfort and family quilts passed through generations. The use of a tree design with each Malmaison title through out the UK was the idea of producing a homely and family tree styled figure that would allow customers to relate in a personal and stable sense to Malmaison as a brand and family of businesses.
The use of foliage was inspired by the origins of Malmaison as a company and it's relation with the historical references to Chateau Malmaison and it's renowned, luxurious gardens.
Choice of fabric and colour palette was significantly important to allow the piece to sit comfortably within the rich surrounding that the piece was to be situated in
and to appeal to Malmaison's customers on a pleasure basis for which a relaxed, rich and sumptuous environment is exemplified during your visit to the hotel.
The main focus was the idea of customers being of a business mind and travelling for long spaces of time away from their family and comforting surroundings. This informed the concept of a textile piece as they can often signify comfort and family quilts passed through generations. The use of a tree design with each Malmaison title through out the UK was the idea of producing a homely and family tree styled figure that would allow customers to relate in a personal and stable sense to Malmaison as a brand and family of businesses.
The use of foliage was inspired by the origins of Malmaison as a company and it's relation with the historical references to Chateau Malmaison and it's renowned, luxurious gardens.
Choice of fabric and colour palette was significantly important to allow the piece to sit comfortably within the rich surrounding that the piece was to be situated in
and to appeal to Malmaison's customers on a pleasure basis for which a relaxed, rich and sumptuous environment is exemplified during your visit to the hotel.
The Florrie Mural - Recent Commission
A mural project for the Florence Institute that is a listed building under reconstruction after being closed and abandoned for many years.
The renovation work has been a long process but a group of us artists from SOLA ART have finally been let into the building space to start our mural in the main gym area.
The character and beauty of this building has been a great form of inspiration for the thought process of the mural design and hopefully will reflect the brilliance and historical presence that this building has formed within it's environment with hopes that the regeneration will further contribute to the surrounding community.
Completion of this piece will be on the 6th of April and open for the public to view.
More images will be available through out the development and completion of this project but we are not going to be revealing too much to you!