Write a Statement of Intent that clearly contextualises;

• What you want to explore?
• Why it matters to you?
• How you wish to develop your project?
• When and where you intend to begin your study?

Make sure you describe your how you interpret the exam theme SIMPLE or COMPLEX, subject-matter, topic or issue you wish to explore, artists references/ inspirations and final outcome – zine, photobook, film, prints etc.

For my Personal Investigation project, I wanted to create something using an artist reference and a personal interest. From a young age, I have developed a strong and true passion for cars. This is a result of my Dad training and working as a mechanic for almost 40 years. As a child, I was consistently taken on track days all around Europe 3-4 times a year as my parents couldn’t leave me at home alone at a young age, but I also loved the experience. Being older has allowed me to take these experiences to the next level, as I can now drive on the tracks myself and experience the real thrill first-hand.

“It’s what non-car people don’t get. They see all cars as just a ton and a half, two tons of wires, glass, metal, and rubber, and that’s all they see. People like you or I know we have an unshakable belief that cars are living entities… You can develop a relationship with a car and that’s what non-car people don’t get… When something has foibles and won’t handle properly, that gives it a particularly human quality because it makes mistakes, and that’s how you can build a relationship with a car that other people won’t get.”

Jeremy Clarkson

When conducting research for individuals to study, I came across a Norwegian photographer called Helge Skodvin. In 2015, he produced a project called 240 Landscapes, in which were 77 colour images depicting the Scandinavian weather, landscape and architecture. Each image also features a carefully positioned Volvo 240, an iconic and robust car which a majority of people owned in Norway when Skodvin was growing up. Even today, many can still be found in barns, garages or even still driving. I am hoping to recreate something similar in Jersey, as the island has a distinct coastline, as well as a flourishing car community.

My car of choice for this project will be a Mazda Mx-5, as it is also an iconic car for its time, and I have easy access to a range of these cars due to being a member of a group. The Mk1 (NA) Mx-5 (1988-1997) revolutionised the way modern sports cars were built. With it’s reinforced scaffolding chassis and iconic pop-up headlights, the small Japanese sports car became an almost instant success with various car cultures around the world. The MK2/2.5 (NB) Mx-5 (1998-2005) was as successful as its predecessor. The car was almost identical, however being much better built, as well as a few body parts being changed. The pop-up headlights were removed and a majority of body panels were redesigned. Despite these changes, the car is fundamentally the same.

This concept of car photography worked extremely well for Skodvin, so why can’t I do the same? I believe that I have strong starting point and something from which I can produce a successful project. With the topic being simple and complex, I feel that this topic relates to both. Landscapes can be either simple or complex to capture, with the same being said for cars. The outcome could be a complex landscape with a simply-placed car, or vice-versa.