Intro
I intend to make an Arts Council application for the research and development part of this project in 2014, and then the actual showing of
the work in 2015. At this stage I have been writing to potential partners to research and eventually show the work in both Manchester and Tampere. The work I make is performance based and would involve creating a costume, roaming around various sites. Tampere in Finland is nicknamed ‘The Manchester of Finland’ as they both share an industrial heritage and similar architectural landscapes. This has given rise to the Finnish nickname ‘Manse’ and terms such as ‘Manserock’. I intend to research and develop these links between the two cities, create an historical timeline and present my findings in a creative ‘explainer’ style performance.
My idea is to create a new character called the ‘Manse’ and make a costume mashing together cultural references from both cities. This
project would involve researching garment designs from both countries
worn during the industrial revolution and the modern day
‘Manchester/Finnish look’. The partners I want involved in the project are a museum and contemporary art space to get the mix of tradition and modern presentation of the work. It seems like a slow process getting to actually talk to various institutions in Manchester although I must be patient. This will be the first long-term project I have planned and I hope I can spark some interest to get a partner involved.
