BXL photographic archive #0147

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 radar equipment.

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--0423

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)

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)

A different view #75

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: Dolly chair
Designer: Antonio Citterio and Oliver Low
Manufacturer: Kartell
Object number: AIBDC : 001748

Louise Dennis (Assistant Curator)

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.

Decorative panel
 
Louise Dennis (Assistant Curator)

w-RAP: a plastic symphony for a synthetic century

MoDiP is delighted to announce that it has funding from Arts Council England to enable it to work with a composer, an artistic director, a number of schools and some professional musicians to develop a creative music project exploring the light and dark faces of plastics.

The music and words will be written by the musician, Karen Wimhurst, who works across genres, bridging jazz, folk and contemporary classical ensembles. She is currently undertaking a residency at MoDiP exploring the issues that plastics raise through the museum’s collection and library, and in conversation with the staff.

The musical composition will complement MoDiP’s current exhibition, Polyphonic: music through plastics, the word polyphonic describing music that is created by the coming together of different voices. The exhibition explores the role of plastics in the playing, broadcasting and listening to music and highlights how the use of plastics materials, with their truly democratising effect, enhances the ability for everyone to participate in, and enjoy music in all its forms. 

MoDiP's current exhibition, Polyphonic: music through plastics

w-Rap will have 3 versions:

w-RAP one

The first will be performed in early July 2018 at AUB with pupils drawn from primary and secondary schools, featuring w-RAP band constructed from plastic wrapping materials and other more traditional plastic instruments such as recorders, clarineos and clarinets, as well as the bespoke 'membrophones', especially made in music workshops for the project run by the music educationalist, Nick Crump. This schools performance will include both live and recorded sounds from the children involved in the project and two professional players on trumpet and turntables.

w-RAP two

Following on from this, composer Karen Wimhurst will take recordings made from the schools and manipulate and recycle them into a sound track, mixed into her own work which will include an operatic voice.

w-RAP three

The music from the second stage will then be staged as an intimate music theatre production directed by Katharine Piercey, Course Leader of Acting at the Arts University Bournemouth, to be premiered in the Lighthouse Sherling Studio on September 26th 2018.

A vinyl recording will be made of the various iterations.

Susan Lambert (Head of MoDiP)

BXL photographic archive #0146

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 laboratory facilities at the BXL factory.

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--0332

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)

What are these?

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)

MoDiP Closed

MoDiP will be closed Tuesday 10th April and will reopen Friday 13th April.

If you need any assistance please email modip@aub.ac.uk

A different view #74

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: Vacuum flask
Designer: Unknown
Manufacturer: Thermos
Object number: AIBDC : 000875

Louise Dennis (Assistant Curator)

Horners collection

The Museum of Design in Plastics houses two collections alongside our own.  One of these collections is that of the Worshipful Company of Horners.   

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

 

Hnad fan

Louise Dennis (Assistant Curator)