About Blue Print
Blue Print was a project that I created during my time as Adobe Illustrator in Residence at the V&A. It’s is a project that invited people to dream up museums of the future, using their embodied memories as inspiration.
This film is a good way into understanding the project.
Blue Print was a project that I created during my time as Adobe Illustrator in Residence at the V&A. It’s is a project that invited people to dream up museums of the future, using their embodied memories as inspiration.
This film is a good way into understanding the project.
Participants
I invited people from all over the world to take part in Blue Print. More specifically, people who are involved in creative organisations that are working to redifine how cultural spaces could work. These are the people I wanted to listen to and learn from.
It was a pleasure to work with:
Plus many individual creatives.
Thank you friends!
Thank you friends!
People took part by playing Museum Dreaming, a drawing game I created which helps your generate an idea for a unique museum – one that is based on your own life experiences. People either came to my studio at the V&A to play the game or received the Blue Print travelling sketchbook in the post.
Mapping the ideas
After almost 100 people had taken part in the project, I had the privilege of reading through all the ideas. I started to see patterns and themes emerge in the collective ‘museum dream’ and 23 distinct future museums started to form in my mind. So then I made a collection of artworks that represented each of those 23 museums.
Here’s a map that shows all of the ideas and how they came together in my mind. Each participant was given a copy of this map in exchange for their participation.
After almost 100 people had taken part in the project, I had the privilege of reading through all the ideas. I started to see patterns and themes emerge in the collective ‘museum dream’ and 23 distinct future museums started to form in my mind. So then I made a collection of artworks that represented each of those 23 museums.
Here’s a map that shows all of the ideas and how they came together in my mind. Each participant was given a copy of this map in exchange for their participation.
The artworks
I wanted to create artworks that felt peices of ephemera from these imagined future museums – little poetic fragments that gave you a taste of what these places might be like.
Map from the Museum of Being Together
Collage on paper
In the future there is a museum that a network of environments that help you to feel close to yourself and other people.
Collage on paper
In the future there is a museum that a network of environments that help you to feel close to yourself and other people.
Clock at the Museum of Nothing
Handmade clock
The Museum of Nothing has nothing, or very little, in it. It’s just you there and plenty of space to think and feel.
Handmade clock
The Museum of Nothing has nothing, or very little, in it. It’s just you there and plenty of space to think and feel.
Banner for the Museum of Conversations
Quilted banner
In the future there is a museum that is dedicated to being a safe space to have deep conversations. The space has a fire / warmth at the heart of it, like a log cabin. People can gather here to listen carefully and be heard deeply, because this is what the museum encourages.
Quilted banner
In the future there is a museum that is dedicated to being a safe space to have deep conversations. The space has a fire / warmth at the heart of it, like a log cabin. People can gather here to listen carefully and be heard deeply, because this is what the museum encourages.
Museum of Teenage Dreams T-shirt
Screenprinted T-shirt
The Museum of Teenage Dreams would be a dedicated space for reflecting upon, or reconnecting with, your own teenage dreams.
Screenprinted T-shirt
The Museum of Teenage Dreams would be a dedicated space for reflecting upon, or reconnecting with, your own teenage dreams.
Badges made at the Museum of Encouragement
Hand drawn badges
The Museum of Encouragement would be dedicated to boosting people’s confidence. Here you could learn new skills, celebrate the things you’re proud of or just get some words of encouragement. I imagine there would be lots of badge making stations for people to use and make their own badges of encouragment.
Hand drawn badges
The Museum of Encouragement would be dedicated to boosting people’s confidence. Here you could learn new skills, celebrate the things you’re proud of or just get some words of encouragement. I imagine there would be lots of badge making stations for people to use and make their own badges of encouragment.
Call out poster for the Museum of Memories
Collage poster
There’s a travelling notebook that people can request to be sent to them. When the notebook is received, the person can contribute an important memory to it and then send it back. Every year, 6 memories from the book are chosen at random and bought to life through public reenactments, reconstructions, readings or the display of key objects from the memory. This happens in various places around the country.
Collage poster
There’s a travelling notebook that people can request to be sent to them. When the notebook is received, the person can contribute an important memory to it and then send it back. Every year, 6 memories from the book are chosen at random and bought to life through public reenactments, reconstructions, readings or the display of key objects from the memory. This happens in various places around the country.
Strokable dog feature at the entrance of the Museum of Well-loved objects
Bronze cast
The Museum of Well-loved Objects holds a collection of objects that have been transformed by acts of love. When they arrive, guests would be encouraged to stroke this bronze dog’s head, which would slowly become shiner and smoother over time.
Bronze cast
The Museum of Well-loved Objects holds a collection of objects that have been transformed by acts of love. When they arrive, guests would be encouraged to stroke this bronze dog’s head, which would slowly become shiner and smoother over time.
Invitation to the Museum of Kitchen Tables
Ink drawing on paper
The Museum of Kitchen Tables is a residential museum that invites groups to come and stay for a week and collectively make something around a designated kitchen table. Whatever is made that week, whether it’s a series of meals, a song, a story or a sculpture, will become part of the display at the museum.
Ink drawing on paper
The Museum of Kitchen Tables is a residential museum that invites groups to come and stay for a week and collectively make something around a designated kitchen table. Whatever is made that week, whether it’s a series of meals, a song, a story or a sculpture, will become part of the display at the museum.
Form for the Museum of Travel Stories
Glass bottle
The Museum of Travel Stories is a floating museum that takes the form of a glass bottle. It carries stories from one place to another.
Glass bottle
The Museum of Travel Stories is a floating museum that takes the form of a glass bottle. It carries stories from one place to another.
Invitation to the Museum of Soil
Pastel drawing
The Museum of Soil is a subterranean museum that brings people into physical contact with living soil.
Pastel drawing
The Museum of Soil is a subterranean museum that brings people into physical contact with living soil.
Architectural reference for the Museum of Pain and Healing
Nest sculpture
I’m visualizing a museum space that is specifically built to hold people when they are going through emotional pain. For some, museums already act as a place of respite, but what if that was their core function? I can imagine a warm, safe environment, like a nest, where people can be seen, held and embraced in their fullness.
Nest sculpture
I’m visualizing a museum space that is specifically built to hold people when they are going through emotional pain. For some, museums already act as a place of respite, but what if that was their core function? I can imagine a warm, safe environment, like a nest, where people can be seen, held and embraced in their fullness.
Poster for the Museum of Electric Fans
Cyanotype print
Museum of Electric Fans is decentralised museum / a network of people with electric fans, who are dedicated to placing their cooling fan in a public space on 22 July (which is normally the hottest day of the year, wherever you are).
Cyanotype print
Museum of Electric Fans is decentralised museum / a network of people with electric fans, who are dedicated to placing their cooling fan in a public space on 22 July (which is normally the hottest day of the year, wherever you are).
Concept Drawing for ‘Museum as an Art School’
Drawing on paper
In the future the core function of a museum is to help visitors make artwork about their own lives. The museum’s collection is entirely made up of artworks that were created inside it, by guests.
Drawing on paper
In the future the core function of a museum is to help visitors make artwork about their own lives. The museum’s collection is entirely made up of artworks that were created inside it, by guests.
Poster for the Museum of Touch
Risoprint poster
Traditionally museums warn us ‘please do not touch’. This can make them feel like quite sterile environments. What if there was a museum that actively encouraged touch and honoured the power of this vital sense? What if the more you touched, the more you got in return?
Click here to visit the Museum of Touch.
Risoprint poster
Traditionally museums warn us ‘please do not touch’. This can make them feel like quite sterile environments. What if there was a museum that actively encouraged touch and honoured the power of this vital sense? What if the more you touched, the more you got in return?
Click here to visit the Museum of Touch.
Knitted scarf made at the Museum of Almost Forgotten Crafts
Knitted scarf
The primary function of this museum is to help keep crafts, and more specifically dying crafts, alive, by investigating them and teaching them.
Knitted scarf
The primary function of this museum is to help keep crafts, and more specifically dying crafts, alive, by investigating them and teaching them.
Library stamped reading list from the Museum of Peaceful Weapons
Rubber stamp and writing on paper
I’m thinking of peaceful weapons as educational books, classrooms and resources that people can use to help them stand up against oppressors. The Museum of Peaceful Weapons would be like a library or a study centre.
Rubber stamp and writing on paper
I’m thinking of peaceful weapons as educational books, classrooms and resources that people can use to help them stand up against oppressors. The Museum of Peaceful Weapons would be like a library or a study centre.
Poster for the Museum of Remarkable Rocks
Collage poster
The Museum of Remarkable Rocks is an online museum that runs from a social media account. Anyone anywhere can submit pictures or videos of remarkable rocks they’ve found, to be featured on the account. All rocks will be accepted and can be deemed ‘remarkable’ for any reason.
Click here to visit the museum.
Collage poster
The Museum of Remarkable Rocks is an online museum that runs from a social media account. Anyone anywhere can submit pictures or videos of remarkable rocks they’ve found, to be featured on the account. All rocks will be accepted and can be deemed ‘remarkable’ for any reason.
Click here to visit the museum.
Menu at the Museum of Trees
Blackboard drawing
The Museum of Trees could be in one place, or everywhere – I’m not sure. A key feature is that you can pick and eat the sweet and juicy fruits from the trees.
Blackboard drawing
The Museum of Trees could be in one place, or everywhere – I’m not sure. A key feature is that you can pick and eat the sweet and juicy fruits from the trees.
Invitation to the Museum of Bike Journeys
Pastel drawing
The Museum of Bike Journeys is all about mobility and exploration. Here you can learn to cycle safely, borrow all kinds of bikes, and use those bikes to go on adventures. Then you can come back and tell everyone about what you did.
Pastel drawing
The Museum of Bike Journeys is all about mobility and exploration. Here you can learn to cycle safely, borrow all kinds of bikes, and use those bikes to go on adventures. Then you can come back and tell everyone about what you did.
Rubbing from the Museum of Wall Textures
Pencil Rubbing
The Museum of Wall Textures is a museum that’s just made up of walls, with nothing on them, it’s just about the walls themselves.
Pencil Rubbing
The Museum of Wall Textures is a museum that’s just made up of walls, with nothing on them, it’s just about the walls themselves.
Banner at the Museum of Infectious Smiles
Applique Banner
The Museum of Infectious Smiles would be full of examples of things that have made people smile. It aims to fuel us with reasons to smile.
Applique Banner
The Museum of Infectious Smiles would be full of examples of things that have made people smile. It aims to fuel us with reasons to smile.
Stage design for the Museum of Life Experiences
Stage Maquette
The Museum of Life Experiences would be a place where people can come together a share their life stories in a relaxed theatre-like setting. I imagine the theatre stage would have a big tree at the centre of it, symbolising life and growth.
Stage Maquette
The Museum of Life Experiences would be a place where people can come together a share their life stories in a relaxed theatre-like setting. I imagine the theatre stage would have a big tree at the centre of it, symbolising life and growth.
Letter from the Museum of Thank You Letters
Drawing on paper
At the Museum of Thank-you Letters you can read examples of thank you letters from across history and add your own.
Drawing on paper
At the Museum of Thank-you Letters you can read examples of thank you letters from across history and add your own.
The book
The complete collection of ‘Museum Dreams’ and a catalogue of the artworks I made in response were put together in this beautiful book, designed by my friend Eilis Searson.
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The complete collection of ‘Museum Dreams’ and a catalogue of the artworks I made in response were put together in this beautiful book, designed by my friend Eilis Searson.
