Exhibition - New Art Exchange - Hyson Green Workshops

HYSON GREEN WORKSHOPS: CITIZEN DESIGN ACTION

23 JANUARY 2016 - 17 MARCH 2016

MEZZANINE GALLERY

LAUNCH EVENT: 23 JANUARY 2016, 12PM – 2PM

In this exhibition, designer Bahbak Hashemi-Nezhad, explores an ambitious citizen-led project that emerged in NAE's local neighbourhood in the 1970s; The Hyson Green Workshops. The Hyson Green Flats were a residential tower block that stood on the site behind NAE where ASDA is now located. Faced with ill-considered planning and architectural flaws of mass social housing, the active citizens of the flats, spearheaded by the Hyson Green Development Tenants' Association, reacted by co-designing alternative solutions in their environment. Together, the group fought to transform the disused and problematic garages, situated underneath the flats, into spaces for cultural expression, community activity and economic growth.

Following Hashemi-Nezhad's interest and practice in participatory design methods, the exhibition brings together new and existing archival materials, oral histories and artefacts, to present for the first time a comprehensive overview of this movement. In addition, the gallery will transform into a creative space through hosting a programme of community-led workshops and will host a panel discussion to explore the social role of citizen design activism and maker spaces today.

Information found at http://www.nae.org.uk/exhibition/hyson-green-workshops-citizen-design/97 on 02.06.2016)

(Image found at https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/research/groups/c3r/news-events/current-events/hyson-green-workshops-citizen-design-action.aspx on 02.06.2016)

(Image found at https://jackcawkwell.files.wordpress.com/2016/02/thumb_img_0123_1024.jpg on 02.06.2016)

(Image found at https://gregnooneblog.files.wordpress.com/2016/02/hyson-green-pic-5.jpg?w=1200 on 02.06.2016)

I wasn't sure what this exhibition was going to be about when I heard of the name. I knew it would be about a place I have heard of and been past for virtually all of my life but I went in not knowing what I would see of how I would feel. I was surprised at what I saw when I walked through the door. I was one my own as my fellow students were still looking around another exhibition and the room was empty bar a lady sat on her own watching over the room. The room felt cold and the atmosphere miserable. I think that is what was meant to happen to make you connect to the display and the history. I had no idea all of those were there in the 1970's so it was a huge eye opener to Nottingham's past. I like the set up in the room with the scaffolding and rope. I think the layout with the images, film and items worked very well as you could learn about the history first by looking at the video and then move on to looking at everything else. I think with out that or if that had been the last thing to see the rest wouldn't have made that much sense. I enjoyed this exhibition as it was about our local history.