RESEARCH & WRITING
The legacy of the valve
An MA research project
One of the modules of my MA course challenged us to notice the ignored - to unearth an untold story or find a new perspective on the place where we live.
I started the project with a thermionic valve (pictured). Researching and unpacking this object led me to a 3000 word essay featuring Bletchley Park and Marshall Amplification. The essay celebrates the quiet and unassuming town of Bletchley that so often sits in the shadow of Milton Keynes.
The introduction section describes the form and function of thermionic valves. It also covers how in recent decades they have been superseded and replaced by smaller, lighter, more reliable electronics.
The second section of the essay covers the use of valves in automated codebreaking at Bletchley Park.
The third section describes how valves are used in some guitar amplifiers to create visceral power and distortion. It also presents the hypothesis that musicians keep ahold of this old technology as the valves have various properties that make them seem 'alive'.
The essay concludes by reiterating the historic and cultural significance of both the thermionic valve and the small town of Bletchley.
Navigating the Science Museum online archive
An experiment in navigating an online database using 3D space and translating users' 'movements' into a personalised graphic outcome.
3D projection concept
Personalised merchandise concept