Our finished concept:
For the ‘Alice in Wonderland’ Newstead project, the group evenly split tasks and roles to ensure each element of the project was fulfilled and completed on time. Erin and Emma-Louise were in charge of sourcing items from both charity shops and university departments, forming important project connections as well as contributing to other design elements of the project. Grace, Laini and Alex were in charge of making props such as hats to fit within the space, as well as creating concept art of the space which was later displayed in one of the installation baskets.
We were given a set timeframe in which to fully design and create the installation, and feel we were successful in fulfilling the brief within that time and to a professional level. The aesthetic remained consistent, with the finished exhibition successfully resembling our initial concept design regardless of any modifications which may have been required on-set (the found-object element of the installation varied stylistically compared to other groups and therefore adjustments to fit the specifics of the piano and room size were necessary).
There were elements of the design process that we believe could be improved in the future. This included adding white lace elements: these were initially intended to be dyed through a coffee-staining technique to create an aged look, though this idea did not go ahead as we believed it would muddy the palette of the piece. They were removed in the final installation due to being too vibrant and therefore a middle-ground of using ‘screen-white’, or a lighter cream lace would be considered in future iterations. A mannequin, sourced from the Bonnington Fashion Dept. was also removed due to its weathered look clashing with the otherwise polished-yet-chaotic workshop. This was not something we had thoroughly considered at the time, believing an aged, well-loved appearance would aid the scene however perhaps in the future a ‘patched-up’ look would suit a period setting such as Newstead Abbey to a greater degree. Initial research, though covering a wide range of topics could have been informed further through reading on mid-late Victorian aesthetics, both domestic and workshop-oriented.
Regardless of areas for development, it is our belief that the Mad Hatter installation acted as a segue into the Mad Hatter’s world, as if one would have stumbled into a hastily abandoned mid-work scene. The vintage Singer Sewing Machine aided this appearance, as did the many fabrics strewn across the piano’s surface, allowing it to be further disguised as a working desk. The many sketches and hat designs strewn across the floor also added a layer of insight into the mind of the character and were an impactful immersion tool. Working with the Newstead Abbey design team was a vital and appreciated tool for learning and group co-ordination.
Written collaboratively by Group 6- Me, Laini, Alex, Grace and Emma-Louise
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