making the o machine

Work to create our new video artwork the o machine is steaming ahead.


 the o machine is from all sides a visual experience, a three dimensional video cube of 6 metre high towers traversed with pillars of light. We are hugely grateful for the work of John Jackets (Sarah’s Dad) and Garry Williams (an artist from Norway) for their help building the towers. The task is somewhat epic and they have worked tirelessly to help make it possible.


 This is all happening now, but we want to start at the beginning and explain something of how the o machine has been conceived.


 Last October we spent two weeks living in South West Burnley. Here are some notes from that time.. “as we hung our camera close to the road we waited for the silence to film our opening shot…‘Are you looking for wild flowers?’ asked an ex-miner who has lived on Cog lane for the past forty years. Children sped past on scooters. Take a picture of me, take a picture of me, we followed the children to the place they thought would be the best place for an art work. A sparrow hawk dived and took a small bird, and we stood looking at the fabric of the place”.



 Our approach was open, we wanted the freedom to explore and find out, to see what caught our interest and what emerged. Our aim was straightforward, we wanted find a way in to make work that is relevant and create something for Burnley that is new and fascinating.



 We began to focus on the environment around Stoops and Harger Clough, we were interested in the waves of regeneration that had taken place and what that meant. We began a process exploring ideas of regenerative design, where diverse systems are key to developing long term self-sustaining communities. Regenerative design sets out to create the conditions for life rather than life itself.



 This process led to us focusing on ideas of emergence within complex systems. You can see examples of emergence within the patterns created by flocks of birds. This area of work is being seen by many scientists as being at the forefront of contemporary thinking. Put simply emergence is 1+1=3, or rather in complex situations when there are a critical mass of elements interacting something emerges that is greater than the sum of the parts. It is at this level of complexity that scientists now speculate that life emerges. There was a fascinating discussion about it on Radio 4 a couple of weeks ago, you can download it here

 


 Returning to ideas of regenerative design we began to look for ways to create a new artwork that would explore these ideas and bring something of them to Stoops. So we went back to the key point in this field of understanding and took inspiration from Alan Turing to explore his o-machine as a starting point for the creation of this artwork.



 As you can see from these photos we are busy creating the structure we will bring to the Recreation ground on 1st Feb. We have been combining interesting technology for this piece, particularly some special black paint, hopefully it will all come to together to create something more than the sum of its parts.


the o machine is coming

Liminal, previous work by Helson and Jackets. Picture Rob McDougall
An extraordinary temporary public artwork is to be installed at Stoops and Hargher Clough Recreation Ground on the evening of 1st Feb 2014.

the o machine, commissioned by South West Burnley Residents as part of ground-UP is a visual experience, a three dimensional video cube of sixteen six meter towers traversed with pillars of light.
Conceived and created by new media artists Helson and Jackets the o machine is the culmination of a process of discovery in South West Burnley.
The o-machine is one of a series of artist commissions exploring and celebrating the identity and history of South West Burnley as part of the Ground UP project.

Helen Jones, Cultural Development Manager for Burnley Council said:
“This is a great example of the community choosing what they want for their community.  I was so pleased with their choice of artists, residents wanted something they could be proud of, something that would be suitable for a national art gallery in their back yard, a piece of work made specifically for them, and that is what has been commissioned.  This project is representative of the people in Burnley who want to make a difference, and I hope people support them by coming along to the event.”

Helson and Jackets said of the project:
“As we hung our camera close to the road we waited for the silence to film our opening shot…‘Are you looking for wild flowers?’ asked an ex-miner who had lived on Cog Lane for the past forty years. Children sped past on scooters.  Take a picture of me, take a picture of me, we followed the children to the place they thought would be the best place for an art work. A sparrow hawk dived and took a small bird, and we stood looking at the fabric of the place”.
This open approach allowed the artists the freedom to explore, to make work that is relevant and to create something for Burnley that is new and fascinating.
“We began to focus on the environment around Stoops and Hargher Clough, we were interested in the waves of regeneration that had taken place and what that meant. So we began a process exploring ideas of regenerative design, where diverse systems are key to developing long term self-sustaining communities.
This process led to us focusing on ideas of emergence within complex systems. And so we went back to the key point in this field of understanding and took inspiration from Alan Turing to explore his o-machine as a starting point for the creation of this artwork.”

Cath Ford and Iain Broadley, Creative Collaborators at ground UP said:
“The o-machine is the final and most ambitious commission of this phase of Ground UP, building on 18 months of community collaboration and exploration. Helson and Jackets were commissioned by a group of residents who were inspired by their proposal to create a unique art work which would bring local people and visitors together for one magical, memorable evening in SW Burnley.”

David Wroe, Keepmoat's new build managing director for the North West said: “We will be interested to see local residents reaction to the o machine.
“Keepmoat is passionate about investing in and regenerating neighbourhoods in Burnley so that people living in these communities can enjoy a better quality of life by living in high-quality housing.
“The o machine is about bringing the kind of art you’d see in the Tate Modern to the streets of Burnley.
“In the same way that our new housing in Burnley Wood and south-west Burnley can change a community for the better an art installation like this can also inspire residents.
“We hope the machine makes residents say ‘oh’ in wonder.”

The o machine is suitable for all ages. Attendees are encouraged to wrap up warm. It will be opens from 5.30-9pm on Saturday 1st February.
Refreshments will be available for sale.
Register for updates at www.helsonandjackets.com
Ground Up is funded by Arts Council England, Lancashire County Council, Keepmoat and Burnley Council.