#super slow way

REVOLUTION (2017) / National Festival of Making, Blackburn

Mixed media installation

In the first part of Robyn Woolston’s project, tens of thousands of pieces of injection moulded plastic from the factory floor of MGS Technical Plastics, Blackburn, form a vast and immersive installation. Using mis-moulds, ‘sprue’ and ‘purge’, the installation works ambitiously in colour, form and scale to illustrate the nature and scale of industrial manufacturing waste.

In her complementary piece, a documentary film contrasts the 1st Industrial Revolution against our contemporary 4th. The artist’s father spent his whole life in plastic injection moulding and Woolston found herself drawn to the intergenerational narratives emerging in interviews with MGS employees, producing a film that not only draws on their stories but reaches further into our industrial heritage.

As the two halves of her work come together, historical parallels proliferate; design, fabrication and plastic moulding processes are shown in parallel with the ebb-and-flow of the Leeds to Liverpool canal, culminating in a meditation upon Lancashire-based manufacturing and its legacy.  

MANUFACTURER:

Passionate about reducing environmental waste and committed to recycling, MGS Technical Plastics is a plastic injection moulding company based in Blackburn, Lancashire. Established in 1974 they are now the production partner of some of the world’s leading brands.The company operates 20 plastic injection moulding machines, weighing from 22 - 800 tonnes, and riveting, heat staking, over moulding and pad printing are all standard processes for the team.

“Having Robyn here has been an exciting change from the ‘norm’. The team have really enjoyed the conversations that have taken place - Robyn is breath of fresh air and will always be welcome here at MGS.”

FESTIVAL BACKGROUND: 

Funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and produced by The National Festival of Making and community-led arts commissioners, Super Slow Way, Art In Manufacturing seeks to develop the ideas of artists in unfamiliar environments and create engaging and accessible new work, as well as encouraging investigation into Britain’s manufacturing heritage, specifically that of Lancashire with direct engagement from staff members in each participating company.

“The ‘Art in Manufacturing’ commission does exactly what it says on the tin; exposing the art at play in countless, largely invisible, factories across this area where hundreds of people embark each day on creative tasks, undertaken with remarkable attention to detail, resulting in the production of the beautiful, the delicious and the complex, from the most delicate to the most durable products on earth. These people, often coming from generations that have worked in these industries, have very generously imparted their knowledge to the nine artists who, in turn, have shone a spotlight of excitement and curiosity onto their formidable skills and dedication.

We think that the outcomes of these collaborations perfectly capture the enthusiasm and mutual admiration that took place in the few short weeks it took to create them and help us all appreciate the creativity taking place in the historic factories and anonymous business parks at the end of our roads. We hope that it inspires viewers, particularly young people, to look to manufacturing as an outlet for their own creativity.”

Laurie Peake, Director of Super Slow Way

You can watch the companion film here: https://vimeo.com/215108977

Festival website: https://festivalofmaking.co.uk