fromCONCENTRATE

research blog of artist John O'Shea

Digital Heritage Network

Link to a blog post I wrote outlining Re-Docks current dialogues with the AHRC/BT Digital Heritage Network:

Sound:Walk

Huddersfield St.Patrick’s Day Parade

town centre – public space – collective memory – heritage – temporality – shared experience – crowds – the Parade! – What a day!

Parade Head Steward, Ginger McCullogh and Huddersfield Town Crier, Victor Watson during Huddersfield’s tenth St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Sunday 14th March 2010.

MMME: Questions/History/Heritage

# Do you know what year the house you live in was built? How would you find out? Are you interested? Why/why not?

The house here in Newcastle? I rent it – I really couldn’t care less about it. The house in Huddersfield? – that is my parent’s house, where I grew up – I don’t know exactly what year it was built, probably the end of the 1960’s. It’s the end house in a row and it faces a small wood. Apparently they were built as show-houses for the Highland’s council estate (which is behind). There aren’t any people living in the street now, who were there at the beginning, so if I needed to find out more then I think I would have to start at the library, although, thinking about it, if I actually cared – rather than performing some superficial research – I’d be more interested in speaking to people who were there at that time. I’d probably call into a couple of the local shops and pubs/clubs and just find out who might know something – start from there.

# Do you know your own family history? How would you find out? Are you interested? Why/why not?

I know some ‘history’ about my family. I also know that my Grandmother (on my Mother’s side) and my Grandfather (on my Father’s side) both know an incredible amount – going back many generations. If I wanted to find out specific information, then I would ask them but I don’t have a desire to record their knowledge. I’m interested in the stories and details that they have chosen to share with me.

# Do you use any technologies which investigate history? Which ones and how do you use them?

No – I don’t think that I do.

RSS Re-Dock

  • From Fantasy to Reality
    It's over a year now since I first met the group of young people involved in 'Project Triangle'. Looking back, it's easy to see a huge increase in confidence, both from their involvement in the project, and from the work they've done in presenting the film and educational DVD to various groups across the country. On the main, they […]
  • Simple (BIG) Interface
    A couple of weeks ago I took part in DIY Music Day at the World Museum, Liverpool. The event was organised by Ross Dalziel of Sound Network, as part of a series of events called How Why DIY? which aimed to open up technology to a wider audience.This event explored ways in which people could engage with sound, from making their own thumb pianos from simple ma […]
  • Digital Media Labs Award
    Re-Dock are delighted to have been selected for a Digital Media Labs, research and development residency, happening in Hull at the end of October.The residency has been organised as part of the commissioning process for an interactive art work for the new Wilberforce Health Centre in Hull. And, our successful application means that one of us will be spending […]
  • mutate and re-mix!
    "A Small Cinema" has grown beyond our control and, like all great 21st century ideas it has gone VIRAL! We really hoped this day would come (but we hadn't realised that it would be quite so soon!).Tonight a small cinema opens in Oldham, operating out of an empty shop and showing a run of feature films. The project, has been set up by 17 year o […]
  • Gross Indecency
    As a collective, I think all us Re-Dockers are very clear and what is and what is not a Re-Dock project. We've mainly worked this out from our own work practices, where making a living is a major priority. Re-Dock as a CIC can be much more selective. However, it's interesting examining how our work as individuals has grown and been influenced by ou […]
  • The Signs are all there...
    We have just started work on another Re-Dock project involving the Leeds-Liverpool canal. Building on the work we did for Canal &, we are using the memories and ideas gathered as a starting point for a signage installation next to the new Pennington Road bridge.'Constellation Of Signs' will be made of over 100 aluminium road and tourist informa […]