OUDG406 - Studio Brief 2 - Research

OUGD406

Studio Brief 2 - Research

Leeds west indian festival

Leeds West Indian Carnival is Europe’s longest running authentic Caribbean carnival parade. What started in the 1960’s as one man’s remedy for West Indian homesickness is now the perfect blend of jaw-dropping costumes, infectious tropical rhythms, mouth watering food and entertainment for everyone.

Held annually on the last Monday in August,

Origins: 1966-7

Leeds West Indian Carnival is the brainchild of Arthur France, MBE, who arrived here from St Kitts-Nevis in 1957. In 1966, two friends of his, Frankie Davis, from Trinidad and Tony Lewis, from Jamaica, students at the University of Leeds, organised a carnival fete at Kitson College (now Leeds City College – Technology). Ian Charles, also from Trinidad but settled in Leeds, was there too. Arthur France decided there should be a carnival parade along the streets of Leeds, as well as the indoor festival of music and costume. “People said I was crazy,” said Arthur, but through his driving force, with Ian’s support, plus help from others including Calvin Beech, Willie Robinson, Samlal Singh and Rose McAlister, Leeds West Indian Carnival was on the road for the first time in 1967. Arthur remains chair of the carnival committee, with Ian as its treasurer, to this day.

The Leeds Carnival Parade leaves Potternewton Park at 2pm; turns left down Harehills Avenue, right onto Harehills Lane and right again down Roundhay Road; right onto Barrack Road, right again onto Chapeltown Road before turning right onto Harehills Avenue and back into Potternewton Park.

50th anniversary
partnering with The Tetley to stage an exhibition from August to October which will feature archival material, including photography, film, costume, press cuttings, ephemera, artefacts and more exploring the history of LWIC



The miners strike

 The miners’ strike of 1984 and 1985 put Yorkshire at the heart of a titanic struggle between Margaret Thatcher’s government and union leader Arthur Scargill’s pitworkers.
Miners and police clashed on picket lines, with the largest confrontation, at a coke plant outside Sheffield in the summer of 1984, now occupying a notorious place in the history books as the Battle of Orgreave.



Roundhay Park

 The eyes of the entertainment world repeatedly turned to Leeds during the 1980s as Roundhay Park played host to some of the biggest names in music.
Acts hitting the stage included The Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, Michael Jackson, Genesis and Madonna. U2 and Robbie Williams also rocked Roundhay Park in 1997 and 2006 respectively.



Anti-Trump Protests

Monday 30th Jan 2017 - Dortmund Square ( 5.30pm)

organised by Leeds Stand Up to Racism and Leeds Momentum

A statement on the event's Facebook page reads: 'As Donald Trump announces restrictions on Muslims and Theresa May holds his hand we are gathering to say #neveragain #noMuslimban. Standing up to their racism and Islamophobia is crucial - join us in Dortmund Square Monday to add our voices to the worldwide outrage at this disgusting racist ideology.'

The group are objecting to restrictions Trump has placed on citizens of several countries with a history of terrorism from entering the US, and to his upcoming state visit to the UK.

Organisers say all are welcome to attend the demonstration.
A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said: “We are aware that there are a number of people wanting to express their views. These people are wishing to do so peacefully and we will enable them to do so.”

Saturday 04 feb 2017

Hundreds of people marched through leeds in protest against US president.

Roads were closed by police while protesters headed along the route carrying placards and banners opposing President Trump.

The march began at The Headrow before moving onto Boar Lane and veering back around via Vicar Lane and Briggate to return at Victoria Gardens. 

It came as thousands of protesters took to the streets in the UK to call on Theresa May to end her "collusion" with Donald Trump.
Demonstrators urged the prime minister to withdraw her controversial invitation of a state visit to Mr Trump and denounced his travel ban as "racist”.

Banners and Signs read:
no to scapegoating Muslims
no to trump, no to war
love trumps hate
super callo fragile ego trump you are atrocious 

Nelson Mandela 

* Thousands of well-wishers packed Leeds’s Millennium Square in 2001 to greet former South African leader Nelson Mandela during his first official trip to the north of England. Speaking as he was awarded the freedom of the city, Mr Mandela said: “Apartheid was seen to diminish the dignity of all humankind. “The people of the city of Leeds were no exception. We remember them for their outstanding and unstinting support.”

In a colourful and historic occasion which celebrated the city’s multi-cultural background, 

Welcoming Mr Mandela on stage, TV news presenter Jon Snow described him as the greatest living example of forgiveness, hope and aspiration.

He then watched a 99-strong choir made up of pupils from schools around the city who gave a performance of the South African national anthem.
He was presented with his own symbol of Leeds, a gold owl from the leader of Leeds City Council, Brian Walker, who said: “There is no doubt that Mr Mandela has been made welcome by the people of Leeds.”



The Disappearance of Louis Le Prince

Was the first film shot in Leeds?

It is argued that the first film was shot in leeds in 1888

Leeds was the Birth place of film - the claim dates back to 14th October 1888, when a family gathered in the garden in Roundhay.

Louis Le Prince shot snippets of film, but disappeared before he was able to project them. It was a silent film, made several years before Edison and the Lumieres began making films. He made a 16 lens camera, which took sequential photographs which suggested movement. He then  onto a single lens camera. Le Prince was born in Metz, north-east France. He studied chemistry and physics at university, then worked as a photographer and painter before being offered a job at John Whitley's engineering firm in Leeds. He married his boss’s daughter.

Documentary called The First Film

as well as the roundhay garden scene he also used a single lens camera to film short sequences of people and carriages on Leeds Bridge, and his son Adophe playing the accordion. 

He experimented with projection techniques and was due to hold a screening in new york in 1890. however, on a trip to France he boarded a train with two friends and sea never seen again.

Theoroes for his disappearance:

• Lizzie (his widow) believed Edison killed him to get rid of his rival
• others think he committed suicide because he was on the verge of bankruptcy 
• or his brother albert killed him in a row over their mothers will
• or he was ordered to move away because he was gay

because of his disappearance it was the Lumbers and Edison who succeeded in showing the first film to the paying public. 

Locations:

Leeds Bridge 

Roundhay garden

Blue Plaque - one on Leeds Bridge and on eon the spot where Le Prince’s workshop once stood

use the bridge

lost people poster (missing)

wanted posters

abstract

no text?

sequential images

geometric

go to place - put idea in the place - then photograph

taxi sign / great great granddaughters theory

I think the event with the most information and research to back it up is the disappearance of Louis Le Prince. I also think this will make for the most interesting print as there is so much to the story.