Sarah Stevens

vermillion is an opaque orangish red pigment. The naturally occurring pigment is known as cinnabar. Today it is most commonly artificially produced by reacting mercury with molten sulfur. Most naturally produced vermilion comes from cinnabar mined in China.

heterotopia- a space of otherness, which is neither here nor there, that is simultaneously physical and mental, such as the space of a phone call or the moment when you see yourself in the mirror. Foucault uses the term heterotopia to describe spaces that have more layers of meaning or relationships to other places than immediately meet the eye. In general, a heterotopia is a physical representation or approximation of a utopia or a parallel space that contains undesirable bodies to make a real utopian space possible.

Binocular microscope from 1892 a light microscope adapted to the use of both eyes allowing for 3D perception of very small objects. These types of may either have a goal of making an image three-dimensional or may focus on increasing clarity through resolution.

russet a medium reddish brown with a hint of yellow, it came into use in middle England where it was taken, from Old French rousset, from rous, red, from Latin russus. It is often used to describe a coarse reddish-brown to brown homespun cloth or winter apples with dark reddish brown skin.

Simulacra-a term generated by Jean Baudrillard to explain the world we currently inhabit where are reality has become pure simulation, where the visual world has no relation to reality whatsoever. We deal soley with signs and representations which are ordered by or relate in an infinite web of other signs an representations allowing only a complex web of false reality constructs to immerge. This process is mapped in his book Simulacra and Simulations a summary of which is avaliable on wikipedia:

1) The first stage is a faithful image/copy, where we believe, and it may even be correct that, a sign is a “reflection of a profound reality” (pg 6), this is a good appearance, in what Baudrillard called “the sacramental order”.
2) The second stage is perversion of reality, this is where we believe the sign to be an unfaithful copy, which “masks and denatures” reality as an “evil appearance-it is of the order of maleficence”. Here, signs and images do not faithfully show us reality, but can hint at the existence of something real which the sign itself is incapable of encapsulating.
3) The third stage masks the absence of a profound reality, where the simulacrum pretends to be a faithful copy, but it is a copy with no original. Signs and images claim to represent something real, but no representation is taking place and arbitrary images are merely suggested as things which they have no relationship to. Baudrillard calls this the “order of sorcery”.
4) The fourth stage is pure simulation, in which the simulacrum has no relationship to any reality whatsoever. Here, signs merely reflect other signs and any claim to reality on the part of images or signs is only of the order of other such claims.

Action half life photographic series

This project by AES+F group ran from 2003-2005

Here is the concept text for reference:

‘What is the heroism in our times, when war, exploits, and pathos are just a part of a virtual show endlessly dissipating into mass circulation? Our show is total- starting from its well structured 3D computer games, it’s powerful Hollywood effects so wonderfully spent on saving private Ryan, it’s gala parade of Maximus’ triumph in the Coliseum and ending with it’s especially selected TV reports from uknown and faraway places with exotic names.

Our heros are teenagers – emerging from the most heroic of life’s phases. The teenage moment is the moment when a young shepherd can take heart and gain victory over a hulking giant and when an abandoned child can find the inner unction to extract the magic sword out of a rock to become king, vanquishing all enemies. All of our young heros are conquerors in the virtual world. Their enemy is absent, and ppain and suffering are forbidden by the very nature of the game. They are so alienated that nothing, not even their common virtual battlefield, inhibits their giving themselves over to pure personal expolit, to securing victory over an enemy that does not exist. The driving concept behind our art is our perpetual attempt to precipitate the genome of heroism out of today’s world of glimmer reality.’ http://www.aes-group.org/hl3.asp

Cerise a deep to vivid pinkish red.The name comes from the French word meaning cherry. The word “cherry” itself comes from the Norman cherise.

gentrification- the restoration and upgrading of deteriorated urban property by middle-class or affluent people, often resulting in displacement of lower-income people. The pattern that was recognised in the 1980s is now a global phenomenon. The low rents in deteroiated areas attract artists and creatives, which increases the areas desirability, small cafes and independant stores spring up to cater for the changing community, the middle classes become attracted to the area pushing up property prices, large chains, coorporations and real estate agents see opportunities and the transformation is complete. At the end of this process the original inhabitants and the creatives priced out and move on to trigger the regeneration of other areas. The original character and energy of the place is often completely eradictated by the end of the process.

OMA Book Machine

A 40,000-page book binding together 35 years of writing by architects OMA shown at Architectural Association in London May-June 2010. Called OMA Book Machine, the exhibition forms a retrospective of the studio’s written output including books and pamphlets from their archives. Placed together like this they create a sculptural installation which dominates the architectural space and empasises the physical nature of books and the weight, quantity and volume of knowledge they can contain.

Umber -a natural brown clay pigment which contains iron and manganese oxides. Its name derives from the Latin word umbra (shadow) and was originally extracted in Umbria, a mountainous region of central Italy. It has been used as a pigment since prehistoric times.

Topology- is a major area of mathematics concerned with spatial properties that are preserved under continuous deformations of objects, the term is also used for a family of sets with certain properties that are used to define a topological space, a basic object of topology. For example a donut and a coffee cup with a handle are equivalent shapes, because each has a single hole.

Chairless chair produced by Vitra is a tool for sitting designed by Chilean architect Alejandro Aravena. A simple and witty idea, the textile strap joined into a loop measures 85 centimeters in length and five centimeter in width and wraps around the back and knees to stabilize the body and relieve tension while seated. http://www.vitra.com/chairless/

aureolin – first made in 1851 and its chemical composition is potassium cobaltinitrite it used in oil paints and watercolours. It is a transparent, lightly staining, light valued, intense medium yellow pigment. It fades quickly in watercolor form.

panopitcon- a type of prison building designed by English philosopher and social theorist Jeremy Bentham in 1785. It is of circular construction with the cells around the outside and the guard tower in the middle allowing the prisoners to be watched invisibly from the guard tower at all times. No prisoner knows whether or not someone is watching him but is constantly aware that someone could be. All prisoners are therefore totally exposed at all times and their only relationship is with the authoritarian presense of the guard tower itself. It required less staff than any previous prison models. This model was picked up and examined by Micheal Foucault in his study Discipline and Punish where he highlights as a repository for homogenous power, and reveals it polyvalent applications; it serves to reform prisoners, but also to treat patients, to instruct schoolchildren, to confine the insane, to supervise workers, to put beggars and idlers to work. Though it has been largely disregarded as unhumanitarian as an architectural model (prolonged exposure unsurprisingly had a direct link to mental instability) the same mechanism is being used throughout the developed world; one way windows into our existence where we have no idea who is watching us; survelliance cameras, store cards, facebook to name but a few.

Curta mechanical calculator devised by Curt Herzstark while he was in Buchenwald concentration camp. He was given a drawing board and was encouraged so that it could be given to the Feuhrer. However, development was completed after liberation by the Americans. It is a stepped gear type calculator capable of the four functions, and more using special techniques

52 mm diameter x 105 mm high (2″ x 4″).

Made in Liechtenstein 1947 – 1970.

Top- Men’s toilet Hotel Svendborg Denmark

Bottom- Porcelain urinals designed by San Franciso artist Clark
Sorensen

Public toliet by conceptual artist, Monica Bonvicini 2004, titled ‘Don’t miss a sec’ featuring one way mirror glass allowing the user to see out without being seen.

Japanese super toliet or ‘ Washlet’ with exceptional functions: pre warmed seat, massage options, auto lid opening with proximity sensor, blow dryer, germ resistent seat, air conditioning, glow in the dark surface, dual water jets with a soap mixture, music to help you relax, an 0-zone deodrant system and an inbuilt urine testing facility that can send your test results wirelessly to your doctor.

A double toliet cubicle in a London bar, Roman latrines in Pompeii and a concept toliet for couples.

Concept toilet by designer Nelson Ayala, in collaboration with Ana Maria Gordillo addressing people’s fear of sitting on public toilet seats allowing for a comfortable squat position.

Maltese studio Chris Briffa Architects have renovated a public toilet in Valletta, Malta, inspired by the facility’s location in what was once a red-light district.The renovation is part of a city-wide initiative to make use of public facilities to exhibit contemporary art.

Workington’s new public toilets, on the ground floor of the multi-storey car park, opened on Monday 13 November 2006. Fish from the Solway swim in a specially-designed tank in the communal entrance area, provided by the Lake District Coast Aquarium in Maryport. Ceramic artist Paul Scott and writer Robert Drake were commissioned to collaborate on the design of visuals and text for the tiles and doors of the toilets, and have also influenced the colour scheme. Their innovative designs incorporate text and images relating to Workington’s history, location and provenance into the ceramic tiling scheme of the toilets. The colour scheme (coal black, steel grey and iron pink/red) was inspired by West Cumbrian wagon cards.

The Water Cycle describes the journey of water to the site of the toilets and runs horizontally along the walls of the ladies and gents toilets. The History Line is a floor to ceiling text in the communal area near the toilets entrance. Each tile is based on a famous person, place or event linked with Workington and the design is based on the shape of old railway tickets. You Are Here….., which features on the back of toilet doors, above hand driers and in baby changing and disabled toilets, consists of facts relating to different Workingtons around the world.

Maroon, is the French word for chesnut and chesnuts are everywhere at the moment (Holland in particular )The colour is a deep dark brown red.

Today’s word is naturalist, not to be confused with naturist.  It is the belief that there is nothing outside the human and non human sciences, nothing outside matter and our universe.  The most famous proponent of this school of thought is Darwin and his theory of evolution.

Object: kaleidscope

The kaleidoscope was invented by Sir David Brewster in 1816 while conducting experiments on light polarisation; Brewster patented it in 1817.  It works by a construction of mirrors set at different angles often combined with an object chamber containing, glass or any other easily manipulable and colourful substance.  They become popular as kids toys.  The word kaleidoscope is derived from the ancient Greek words for beauty, form and shape and tool (in the context of examination)- it literally translates as observer of beautiful forms.

Ecru- in the 19th century and up to at least 1930, the color ecru meant exactly the same color as beige and the word is often used to refer to such fabrics as silk and linen in their unbleached state. Ecru comes from the French word écru, which means literally ‘raw’ or ‘unbleached’.  It is now considered distinct from beige with a greener and browner tone.

Word: Intangible

This a sculpture by Peter Zwaan, a Dutch artist currently based in Den Haag,  showing at the Contempo Gallerie on Kleine Berg, in Eindhoven it is called Indexmutation, though I would more accurately describe it as a fish finger.  These pieces are life like in scale and in execution, you stumble across them by accident and wonder whether your brain has scrabbled something, you feel vaguely sick and there’s a flicker of panic when you can’t compute, but there is also an undeniable playfulness, which generates the type of pleasure you get from a horror movie. Curiouser and curiouser…

If you have the stomach you can see more http://www.contempo.info/artists/peter-zwaan

Violet, a bluish purple is the color Isaac Newton listed as the color of the short wavelength end of the visible light spectrum with the value of approximately 380-450 nm.

Word:  Ennui

This is the French word for boredom but it has a richer meaning  stemming from the Existentialist movement in France.  It applies to a nihilistic listlessness that happens when you realize the downside of freedom — that you are condemned to be free.  “Is there anyone who has never been mortally sick of everything subjective and of his accursed ipsissimosity?” Nietzsche.

Object:

These are exercise bikes which generate energy.  The first gym using them was opened on 1st September, in Portland, Oregon, USA called the Green Microgym. Their three specially adapted bikes and a four-people team dynamo, combining cycles with hand cranks, can generate around 200-600 watts per hour.  The Pedal-A-Watt device, can purchased and used at home and be hooked up to a normal exercise bike on a stand to generate 200 watts of electricity when you use your bike. This is enough to power your TV while exercising, or the energy can be stored in a battery for later use. An hour’s worth of cycling could power a low-energy light bulb for 8 hours.

This avocado green inspired modern 1960s kitchen and bathroom appliances across the western world.  Teamed with Harvest Gold or substituted for a particularly hideous pink in bathrooms, this color scheme hallmarked an era and relics of it still survive in various British homes, it encapsulates ‘retro’:

Word: Avocado

Originally the Aztecs called this fruit ahucatl after their word for testicle. This is may be partly due to the fruit’s resemblance to a testicle, but also because it was supposedly believed to be an aphrodisiac. To the Spaniards ahucatl sounded like avocado (=adovate, Spanish), and so the fruit came to Europe, via Spain, under that name.

Object:

Min-Kyu Choi of the Royal College of Art, London invented the folding plug, which could replace the clunky three-pin British plug that has changed little since its inception in 1946, this model is less then a centimeter thick when folded.