THE CHALLENGE OF THE LETTER S

When I interviewed LETTERCUTTER JULIE REZAC 24/05/2011 for my blog I asked her if she had a favourite letter that she liked to carve?

 
Julie:  I like carving the S because S remains a challenge every time, for me.  Lots of times I get it wrong, but when I get it right, then the letter S is the most delightful letter ever.  I think you have to visualise a letter to understand it and cut it and if you don’t understand it, you won’t cut it right, which is kind of funny because you think ....it’s drawn on, but somehow you have to know that letter really well before you can cut it.  I also find a lower case e difficult, because there is such a fine point of where it can go wrong and where the angle has to be just right, at a certain point, or else the whole letter is wrong.  So, an e is tough too.

If you have been following my own journey into wood carving you would have seen some of my own attempts into mastering this skill. So as a follow on project I decided to try and cut the letter S. I had an old piece of Cedar wood from which I once made a shelf. The wood had a crack in it and broke into this amazing shape, I had been wondering just what to do with it. It seemed to nice to just burn on a bomb fire or throw away. So I decided to cut a few S into it. Julie is right the S is indeed a challenge.

An interesting fact about the Cedar wood I used, it comes from Lebanon and its timber is sometime known as the Cedars of the Lord. The timber was used by the Assyrians, Babylonians and Persians as well as the Phoenicians. The wood was prized by Egyptians for shipbuilding; King Solomon used them in the construction of the First Temple in Jerusalem and the Ottoman Empire also used the cedars in railway construction.

I STARTED BY DRAWING 4 KINDS OF S ONTO THE CEDAR WOOD

THIS WAS THE FIRST S, A ROMAN S

THE CARVING STARTS BY CUTTING A GROVE INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE LETTER

YOU THEN WORK YOUR WAY TO THE CENTRE FROM THE EDGE OF THE LETTER

THE BASIC CUT OUT, BEFORE YOU SMOOTH AND EVEN OUT THE EDGES

THE FOUR FINISHED S's

THE WOOD IS SANDED AND SEALED

I PAINTED TWO IN GOLD AND TWO IN BLACK, WITH A WAX FINISH TO COMPLETE.

THE ERUV BOUNDARY

Continuing my research for my major project Boundaries within Boundaries. I have been looking at the boundary that is called Eruv a Jewish religious boundary. This truly is a boundary within a boundary. Here is some facts about the Eruv, I find this sort of thing fasinating, I hope you get something from it as well.

THIS IS THE ERUV BOUNDARY LINE OUTSIDE GOLDERS HILL PARK IN HAMSTEAD

GOLDERS HILL PARK FALLS WITHIN THE ERUV BOUNDARY.
THIS GATE INTO THE PARK FORMS PART OF THE ERUV.

An Eruv (plural Eruvin) is a technical enclosure, which falls around both a private domain and extends to a public domain, enclosing both, and thus creating a larger private domain, in which Jews can observe Shabbat. 

Theoretically, the Eruv should be a wall, but it does not have to be ‘solid’.  For example a telephone pole can constitute part of the wall; the vertical post becoming the doorpost and existing cables strung between the pole, acting as a lintel and doorframe.  This idea is extended upon, so that other poles and wires are erected where gaps occur.

One of the web definitions I came across was this:

A ritual aggregation of properties that allows Jews observing traditional Shabbat rules to carry burdens across property lines.

From what I can gather, the area enclosed by the Eruv, becomes special or sacred and allows Jews to have the freedom to carry or push certain objects, outside the home, on the Jewish Sabbath (which runs from sunset on a Friday to sunset on a Saturday) in a ‘public’ or outside domain’, without violating a prohibitive Jewish law.  The Eruv is recognised by the Jewish Court.  However, Eruv are boundaries more to do with the secular world (not mentioned in Talmudi or Rabbinic literature at all) and there have been several court cases against the erection of such boundaries.

The purpose of the Eruv is to allow certain basic things, such a Tallit (prayer book), house keys, clothing, removable clothing, reading glasses etc to be carried or pushed over and outside of normal property boundaries.  However, some items such as umbrellas (mustn’t be opened or closed, as it’s tantamount to erecting and dismantling a tent!) are not permitted to be carried at all, anywhere, on the Shabbat.

In Britain, the first religious boundary, or Eruv, was devised in 2003.  It covers an area of 6.5 miles, is 11 miles long and includes:- Hendon, Golders Green, Hampstead Garden Suburb, Parts of Childs Hill, Cricklewood, Finchley and Mill Hill (It was within area I visited recently to take some pictures of the Eruv).

A second Eruv was created in Edgware, in 2006, and a third, in Borehamwood, in March 2007.

There are over 200 Eruvin in the world today.

In another place the definition of an Eruv is described as being an enclosed area within which observant Jews have the freedom to do things they would not normally be allowed to do.  By erecting this boundary, an outside space can become part of a home space.  This means that a group of houses, in an area, can grouped together and converted to constitute what is, figuratively speaking, one big house.  It is usually large enough to include entire neighbourhoods, with houses and synagogues.  However, this area is restricted to 600,000 people (Jewish and non Jewish).  After that the Eruv becomes obsolete.

It is interesting to note that whenever an Eruv includes multiple residences, in addition to the physical boundary marking out and enclosing the area, the inhabitants must also be conjoined to form one body through the joint ownership of food.

So, an Eruv isn’t a purpose-built wall/boundary as such.  It uses existing features, such as railways lines, telephone poles, walls, parks, roads etc to enclose a certain area and, where a natural gap/space occurs, this is filled, by erecting two poles and a wire (nylon fishing line) threaded in between.  These form a series of doorways in the boundary.  If a Jew is in any doubt about where the boundary begins and ends, or whether the boundary is continuous i.e. no break, they can seek advice by either phoning a certain number or looking online. Please click on the link for an example....

http://www.eboreruv.org/map.asp

By creating the Eruv, Jews completely enclose a domain, thus mixing private and public space.  This must be overseen by an expert Rabbi.

The fragile parts of the Eruv are inspected, every week of the year, to ensure that the boundary remains intact and that any repair necessary to a damaged part or to that which has fallen down, can be carried out, swiftly, before Sabbath begins.

THE SHADOW OF ERUV POLE. 

THE LIBERTY OF NORTON FOLGATE

As part of my major project Boundaries within Boundaries. I have been looking at the boundary that was Norton Folgate. Here is some facts about the area along with a few pictures from my visit to the area I took recently. If you are interested in the history of London you may find it interesting .

Location: Walk east along Bishopsgate, towards Shoreditch High Street, take a turn to the right, just before you reach Commercial Road, and you’ll still find Folgate Street, in all its Edwardian glory. The name, Norton, is recorded as early as 1110, as Nortune meaning north farmstead. Norton Folgate Street was originally White Lion Street. The name is also said to be taken from the Saxon Foldweg, meaning highway, alluding to the original Roman road, Ermine Street.

It is (now) a short length of street in London, connecting Bishopsgate, with Shoreditch High Street, on the northern edge of its financial district in the City of London. It constitutes a very small section of the A10.

The Liberty of Norton Folgate existed until October 1900. However it continued to have a nominal existence as a civil parish until 1921. Norton Folgate seems to have been split into two areas – west and east. The area to the west of Bishopsgate was removed, to become part of the parish and borough of Shoreditch from 1965, in other words, the London Borough of Hackney. Later, there was a reform of boundaries, in 1990s, which meant that this area then formed part of the City of London. The other section, to the east of Bishopsgate became part of the Metropolitan Borough of Stepney.

The area of Spitalfields stands just outside the wall of the old City of London and was originally a rubbish tip. It became a point of entry for immigrants fresh off the boats in Shadwell or Limehouse Basin. Eventually, it became an unofficial town, independent of the conventions/laws of the city, a place where anything and indeed everything was allowed and where the rich and famous could slip in quietly and get up to all sorts of tricks.

Even after the city wall came down and immigrants made lives for themselves elsewhere in London, a small area of Spitalfields remained free or enjoyed ‘a liberty’ which meant it lay outside the normal restrictions and laws of the rest of London.

The area was built up as a collection of courtyards and alley ways in Bishopsgate, not far from Liverpool Street Station, as was known as the Liberty of Norton Folgate.

In the 1700s Norton Folgate had its own school, Church, hospital (Mary Spital) and almshouses for the destitute silk weavers (depicted on the back wall of the old Jack the Ripper pub, now called The Ten Bells).

An Augustine Priory was founded there in 1197, by William Brune. The original area was seen to be 8.7 acres and included Folgate Street, Spital Square, Elder Street, Fleur de Lis Street and Blossom Street. However, over the years this area has been greatly reduced. In the 19th century, it formed a small plot between Primrose Street and Worship Street. The area to the west remained a civil parish until 1921.

Originally, it enjoyed an extra parochial liberty, meaning it was outside the influence of the Church. It was totally self-contained and well run by a group of some 20 Trustees. Who met in the Court House, located, more or less in the centre of Norton Folgate. It was later pulled down, in 1743 The Trustees went on to meet at No 1 Folgate Street (formerly White Lion Street). The last meeting of the Trustees was on 24th October 1900, the year London revised the boundaries in that area.

No 1 Folgate Street was pulled down in 1963. In 1990 there was another reform of boundaries so that the area became part of the City of London etc.

The area was responsible for its own gas supply (light), sewage removal and it had its own daily rubbish collection.

It became a refuge for such people as actors, writers, thinkers, but also, on the other side of the scale louts, lowlifes and libertines – outsiders and troublemakers. Christopher Marlowe, famous for his plays (Faust) lived in Norton Folgate in 1589.

Being close to the docks, it had seen every race and creed come and go through it, at one time or another. Some of these immigrants settled in Spital Square and Brick Lane, such as the persecuted French Protestants – Huguenot – silk weavers. Also Jewish settlers and later the Bangladeshis. All were of the sewing/weaving trade.

The population declined during the course of the 19th century declined, as many of the premises were converted into warehouses and businesses. For example the population, in 1801 was 1,752, but by 2001 it had declined to 212.

When London’s administrative boundaries were redrawn in 1900, a small part of Norton Folgate was included in the Metropolitan Borough of Shoreditch, but most of it went to Stepney. This area remained a civil parish until 1921. Also, in 1991, there was a reform of boundaries and the area became what is now part of the City of London. The majority of the area is now occupied by modern offices.

However Dennis Severs (a Canadian 1948-1999) refurbished one of the silk weaver’s houses (no 18. He recreated each of the ten rooms, to depict a different historic style (of 18th and 19th centuries). He took a fictitious French protestant family name Jervis (from Gervaise) and imagined their life in that house. He set up the rooms as if they were still in use – as if someone had just stepped out. He called it ‘Still Life Drama’. He created.... a collection of atmospheres; moods that harbour the light and spirit of various ages. It’s perfect.


www.dennissevershouse.co.uk

Jeanette Winterson (writer) says of the house “Fashions come and go, but there are permanencies, vulnerable, but not forgotten It is open to the public on specific days of the month.

City of London Theatre was built in Norton Folagte, in 1837. It specialised in domestic and temperance melodrama. It closed in 1868 and the site destroyed by fire in 1871. In 2008, plans were drawn up to demolish the trendy Light Bar (a power station built for the Great Eastern Railway). This caused a big stir. Without knowing about these plans, Suggs, of Madness fame, who was developing a concept album on the forgotten historical areas of London, primarily Norton Folgate, wrote a song entitled The Liberty of Norton Folgate. I grew up with Madness and I would say this is a excellent album their best to date. Check it out and give it a listen. Here are some of the words from the song The Liberty of Norton Folgate.

Whether one calls it Spitalfields, Whitechapel, Tower Hamlets or Banglatown, 

We’re all dancing in the moonlight; we’re all on borrowed ground. 

Oh, I’m just walking down to; I’m just floating down through, 

Won’t you come with me to the Liberty of Norton Folgate? 

‘Cause you’re a part of everything you see, yes you’re a part of everything you see. 

The media thought Suggs had composed this song in response to Norman Foster’s plan to build a huge skyscraper on the site, as a sort of protest song to rouse the rabble! He hadn’t been aware of a campaign to save Folgate Street, but it was inevitable that he would join it. Suggs admits that it wasn’t, necessarily, about being against the development as such, but more about protecting ‘one of the last best bits of familiar old London – a place far too precious to be buried under 50 storeys of concrete, regardless of whether or not it was to have a waterfall on the top!’

As it turned out, the campaign to save Folgate Street was successful, mainly because someone found some ancient documents, which suggested that Norton Folgate may still have rights to act as an independent state.

The media thought Suggs had composed this song in response to Norman Foster’s plan to build a huge skyscraper on the site, as a sort of protest song to rouse the rabble! He hadn’t been aware of a campaign to save Folgate Street, but it was inevitable that he would join it. Suggs admits that it wasn’t, necessarily, about being against the development as such, but more about protecting ‘one of the last best bits of familiar old London – a place far too precious to be buried under 50 storeys of concrete, regardless of whether or not it was to have a waterfall on the top!’

As it turned out, the campaign to save Folgate Street was successful, mainly because someone found some ancient documents, which suggested that Norton Folgate may still have rights to act as an independent state.




JOHN LENNON - WOODCUT

This week I tried a simple wood cut. I had a piece of oak that I thought I might try something very simple on. What could be more simple then John Lennon's own abstract self portrait. Cutting into the oak was much harder then cutting into the lime on my first project, but again it was a enjoyable process. Along with my three pictures I have attached what I was trying to copy.

THE ORIGINAL

FINISHED CUT WITHOUT FINISH

PAINTED BLACK INLAY

WITH GOLD LEAF INLAY, I THINK I LIKE THE BLACK BETTER 

GFSMITH - TYPESCAPES DEVELOPMENT