Wednesday 28 March 2018

Symbiosis: onwards and upwards


After 18 months MoDiP’s Symbiosis project is formally coming to an end although the project will influence our practice here on in. The aim of the project has been to establish a new model for engagement with industry in order to try to help MoDiP and other small specialist museums become more resilient. Our job now is to ensure the legacy of the project. That means nurturing the relationships the project has led to and continuing to be proactive in our relationship with the plastics and design industries.


The project




The project has had 3 aspects:


  • MoDiP working with an industry consultant who made contact with companies leading to collaborations between the companies and MoDiP.
  • Workshops at which representatives of a range of small specialist museums shared experiences of working with their related industries.
  • Development of a generic guide drawing on both MoDiP's experience and that of the project's partner museums to pass on the learning.

We are pleased to have collaborated with four companies of very different types. One is a maker of plastics packaging; another a design company; another the maker of an additive to make plastics more eco-friendly; and another a manufacturer of yachts, in which a large number of different plastics play a part. Although in subject matter the results relate to MoDiP's area of specialism, they provide examples of types of interaction which could be adapted to other subject areas:


  • mini exhibitions providing insights to the thinking that underpins the industry.
  • guides to significant issues relating to the industry.
  • guides to the use of materials used by the industry.

You can see the results of these collaborations here.


We held two workshops. The first was attended by representatives of 12 museums and the second of 10 museums. There was some overlap with 20 museums participating in total. Their specialisms include aspects of the army,  bricks, carpets, chairs, farming, hats, optometry, rural life, textiles (silk and embroidery), and sculpture. The information they shared about their existing museum engagement can be found here


The Symbiosis project has led to the development of a 10 Step guide which includes a wide range of downloadable documents such as sample introductory emails to companies and proposals for engagement with industry with prices attached, and templates to help with drawing up agreements and evaluating the collaborations undertaken.


One intention of the project was to see if collaborations with industry could be an alternative funding stream for small specialist museums. None of the collaborations we secured have brought in additional funding. We have found that companies, like all of us, find it is easier to give time, material and other in-kind support. This does however have monetary value.


It is currently too early to assess the benefits of the collaborations to the companies concerned however it is probably better to see the first collaboration as a way of beginning a relationship. If it goes well and it is an enjoyable and worthwhile experience for the company, it will lead on to other things, and if they do value it then the probability of the company making a financial contribution increases.


Advantages of the Symbiosis model


  • MoDiP has received considerable in kind support from and developed a strong relationship with four companies on which we hope to build in the future.
  • MoDiP has four significant online resources to enhance its website. These are resources that we would not have been able to make without collaboration with the companies involved.
  • We now have examples of interactions with companies to show to other companies in the future to demonstrate what we can provide.
  • MoDiP staff has had privileged access to four companies resulting in a step change in its understanding of how the plastics and design industries operate and the challenges of manufacturing in plastics. Our expertise has greatly increased.
  • A significant number of objects have been donated to the museum.
  • Objects made of plastics tend to be anonymous but these objects have come with detailed documentation of a depth seldom possible to achieve.
  • The confidence of MoDiP workforce has been increased in terms of how to approach and talk to members of industry. 
  • MoDiP has made meaningful and useful contact with other small museums which face similar problems with which we hope to have ongoing fruitful relationships.
  • We hope that the project has led to the development of a useful resource which will have ongoing value within the museum sector.

Disadvantages of the Symbiosis model


  • The employment of an industry consultant is expensive and probably not something that would be possible for many museums.
  • We contacted 70 companies and this led only to 5 meetings and 4 collaborations. This required a lot of investment. In normal circumstances it would be difficult to free up the resource.
  • Each collaboration took a long time to secure. The shortest time from initial contact to the go ahead to collaborate was six months, the longest nine months. It requires a lot of stamina on the part of museum staff.
  • We received support in-kind but no financial contribution.

The Symbiosis project and the collaborations with industry that it has engendered have certainly been of immense benefit for MoDiP. As this account of the advantages and disadvantages demonstrates, the advantages of the Symbiosis journey far outweigh the disadvantages. 


Legacy


Although technically the project is over it is in fact the time when it begins for real with the application of the learning becoming normal MoDiP practice.  We are delighted to have formed closer relationships with industry and intend to keep in touch with the companies we have worked with to see where else the collaboration can lead. We will also contact the large number of companies who did not see any merit in collaborating with us to show what the project has achieved in this respect.  MoDiP staff now feels in a much stronger position from which to approach companies for collaborations in the future. Participants at the workshops left inspired to be more energetic and imaginative in their relationships with industry and it is hoped that the 10 Steps guide will help to extend the learning of the project to other small specialist museums. 


Susan Lambert (Head of MoDiP)

Monday 26 March 2018

BXL photographic archive #0145

In 2010, MoDiP was donated a large archive of images relating to a single company. Bakelite Xylonite Ltd, also known as British Xylonite Ltd or BXL, was possibly one of the first British firms to successfully manufacture a plastics material in commercial quantities. The company was established in 1875 and after a long history went into liquidation in the late 2000s. The images we have in the collection are concentrated around the 1960s through to the 1980s and show us glimpses of the manufacturing process, products and the company’s employees during this time. We plan to share an image each week to give a flavour of the archive. If you want to see more you can view the whole collection on our website.

This week’s image shows a fibreglass cupola.

To get a better view of the image and find out more have a look at it on our website http://www.modip.ac.uk/artefact/bxl--08271

We are still working on the documentation of the archive, some of the images we know more about than others. It would be fantastic if we could fill in some of the gaps in our knowledge, if you know anything about the company or specific images it would be good to hear from you.
Louise Dennis (Assistant Curator)

Friday 23 March 2018

Guess the Object

MoDiP has the kind of collection that you may think you are very familiar with. We have objects which we all use every day, and some pieces which are more unusual.

By looking at this distorted image are you able to guess what the object is? What do you think it could be used for?


Post your answer in the comments below or to find the answer click here and you will be taken to the MoDiP catalogue.

Louise Dennis (Assistant Curator)

Monday 19 March 2018

A different view #73

There are many ways to look at the objects in the MoDiP collection.  With this series of posts I want to highlight the interesting views of objects that we may ordinarily miss.  These include the underside of an object, the surface pattern, or traces of manufacturing processes.


Title: Cut glass effect vase
Designer: Unknown
Manufacturer: Unknown
Object number: AIBDC : 0_6438


Louise Dennis (Assistant Curator)

Friday 16 March 2018

New exhibition

Our new exhibition is now open.

Polyphonic: music through plastics

The word polyphonic describes music that is created by the coming together of different voices.  These voices could be generated by humans,  traditional instruments, or electronically.  This exhibition explores how music can be played, broadcast, and listened to through plastics.


We even have some instruments you can come and play!

Louise Dennis (Assistant Curator)

Friday 9 March 2018

MoDiP Closed - new exhibition coming soon

The museum will be closed from Saturday 10th March and will open again on Friday 16th March with our brand new exhibition.

Polyphonic: music through plastics



The word polyphonic describes music that is created by the coming together of different voices.  These voices could be generated by humans, traditional instruments, or electronically.  This exhibition explores how music can be played, broadcast, and listened to through plastics.

We look forward to welcoming you soon.

Louise Dennis (Assistant Curator)


Monday 5 March 2018

BXL photographic archive #0144

In 2010, MoDiP was donated a large archive of images relating to a single company. Bakelite Xylonite Ltd, also known as British Xylonite Ltd or BXL, was possibly one of the first British firms to successfully manufacture a plastics material in commercial quantities. The company was established in 1875 and after a long history went into liquidation in the late 2000s. The images we have in the collection are concentrated around the 1960s through to the 1980s and show us glimpses of the manufacturing process, products and the company’s employees during this time. We plan to share an image each week to give a flavour of the archive. If you want to see more you can view the whole collection on our website.

This week’s image shows a workbench jig at E K Cole.
To get a better view of the image and find out more have a look at it on our website http://www.modip.ac.uk/artefact/bxl--0855

We are still working on the documentation of the archive, some of the images we know more about than others. It would be fantastic if we could fill in some of the gaps in our knowledge, if you know anything about the company or specific images it would be good to hear from you.
Louise Dennis (Assistant Curator)

Friday 2 March 2018

PHS collection

The Museum of Design in Plastics house two collections alongside our own.  One of these collections is that of the Plastics Historical Society.   

Here I will highlight just one of the objects in the collection.

Handhand vacuum cleaner

Louise Dennis (Assistant Curator)