D&AD – Outcome

My idea in 5 points:

1 – Provide extra access

2 – Remove stereotypes

3 – Address inequality for female athletes at all levels and ages

4 – Increase the knowledge of physical activities with school as starting point

5 – Create a young and healthier female community

More than half of British fitness fanatics are baffled about what to do in the gym, according to new research from Nuffield Health.

“A study of 2,000 adults shows a fifth have no idea how to use gym machinery while chest-press machines, stair-climbers and even treadmills leave many adults feeling intimidated, and as such, 23 per cent find themselves too embarrassed to use the equipment.

In addition, a quarter of those polled are too shy to ask for help, which leads to 18 per cent ‘making it up’ when in the gym.”

 

 

 

 

D&AD Development

I started thinking that I could create a service that could possibly work as app as well. First, before I thought of possible solutions, what was my objective, and what issue am I trying to solve?

I have never been introduced to physical activity when I was younger as my school at the time, gave only one hour of recess, which then was combined with physical education lessons as it was never considered that important. So myself and my young peers ended up in a corner, talking rather than practising sport or any other activity. So my first thought goes to schools and the way they promote physical activity today. I started drawing so I could give a fun and approachable look to it.

I needed to create slides explaining my idea and how it could be applied.

D&AD Research 2

I did a lot of research in order to get informed as much as possible. As previously mentioned  I have never been that interested in any physical activity for the simple reason that nobody has ever showed me the importance of it. I’m sure that this is also the main reason as it related to me personally. So If I look at my past, what would I have changed? This was the beginning of my idea and my project.

All the other research articles will be in the sketchbook but the ones above explain my concept.

D&AD Research

When asked to describe how they felt about gym class, nearly all of the 15 teen-age girls wrinkled their noses with disgust.

“When I was little, I used to love it,” said Rachael Ludlow, 15, a sophomore at Edison High School. “But most girls don’t like to mess up their hair, to get changed or like, you know, be bothered.”

Sports were no more popular. Neither were workout videotapes, health clubs or long walks. These girls are far from alone.

Indeed, a national increase in inactivity among all age groups seems especially pronounced among teen-age girls and is leading them on a path toward obesity and serious health problems that will linger into adulthood, health and nutrition experts say.

Making matters even more worrisome, surveys also show that teen-age girls are continuing to smoke at high rates and are using drugs as frequently as boys do — habits that make them less likely to be active.

This article is just one of the infinite amount I found on the internet, I was asking myself what will really make a difference and then I needed to see myself in order to really think of an idea and then of a solution. I have never been that keen with physical activity but I can guarantee there are few aspect that could have changed that if I only knew or lived in a different time.

FMP 3rd illustration – Outcome

 

My third and last illustration shows a common palermitan tavern, with the typical arch in the background.
I wanted that to create a connection between a tavern and the ancient gates of Palermo as well as the city walls.
Many still exist, others were lost throughout history. Each one of them represent a specific sociological, historical and political hand in its downfall.

In Palermo there are Punic-Roman doors, Arabic doors, Norman doors and Renaissance doors, so apart from the connection to the many arch gates present today, I also wanted to establish a connection between a tavern that I always appreciated and loved its traditional food that has been served there for years – Trattoria Al Vecchio Club Rosanero. I decided to create these connections in order to explain the place where the superstition takes place in, as it is about food, bread specifically.

In a page of the Promessi Sposi, in which Renzo enters Milan and sees scattered along the way the white flour and then a large amount of freshly baked fragrant forms of bread, the poor young man is petrified in the face of so much destruction. Then he will discover that shortly before there had been the famous assault on the Forno delle Grucce.
For older generations and for Renzo, the bread was blessed. It was never thrown away. Maybe given to animals, but wasting it was a sin! Bread was everything for the poor, it was the first food, they ate bread and companatico, bread and wine, bread and spit, bread and gall, bread and anger, but always bread! This is the superstition more present in my house. As a child I would immediately turn the bread that my parents or grandparents emptied from the paper bag on the table, as if already knowing the superstition that I wanted to avoid, and while setting the table, you “adjust the bread”.

Superstition:

Turning bread upside down at the table is like turning your back on Jesus. This superstition varies from province to province and from family to family, in mine, one could not leave the bread upside down because it was like keeping the face of Jesus down, as disrespectful as it gets.

FMP 2nd illustration – Outcome

My second illustration shows a detailed section of The Foro Italico of Palermo – one of the “bed benches” specifically. I wanted to connect the subject – “bed” – to the superstition about this subject.

Superstition :

”It is better not to make the bed in three, because in this case the smallest person or the oldest person could die” as abed can easily be made with only two people. An interesting superstition whose explanation must be related to the meaning attributed to the number three, often considered a perfect number and the bearer of magical powers.”

FMP 1st illustration – Outcome

My first illustration shows one of the 48 statues from the “Square of Shame” in Palermo. I chose to represent that statue in particular so I could make it realistic and only change the composition of the hand in order to do the gesture of “throwing salt”.

The reasons behind the colours are the sun being orange as the Sicilian flag is yellow and red – yellow relating to golden fields and red of the Sicilian was “The Vespri War” – Vespers was a successful rebellion on the island of Sicily that broke out at Easter 1282 against the rule of the French-born king Charles I, who had ruled the Kingdom of Sicily since 1266.

In my illustration, the red on the background relates to the fear of when a superstition happens and the blue next to it represents the serenity felt when the salt is thrown, like particles flying slowly in a clear blue sky, avoiding a terrible fate.

Superstition:

In ancient times salt was very valuable (the term “salary” derives from the word) and even dropping a few grains meant losing money. Hence the connection with the alleged misfortune. To try to not attract it, collect immediately what has fallen and throw three handfuls behind the shoulders (left shoulder is preferred) and the misfortune will be avoided.

FMP Development 2

“I call out ! Corna! (horn) ‘Grand Corna’ ‘Ritorto Corna’ three times I make a sign with the index and little finger, and then I know I  am all right”

“Why are you so much afraid of the evil eye?”

“Because”, he replied most seriously, ” a person with the evil eye has the power by legitimate or illegitimate means of bringing about every sort of evil”

“But it must be difficult to know who has got it and who has not”

“No” he said, ” The evil eye is in a thin face,with small eyes and a long nose, which is generally hooked, and the owner always has a long neck. He is unpleasant to look upon both in face and build, and is sometimes revolting in appearance. These ‘evil eyes’ are the safest because we know them.

The evil eye is called “jettatura” from “to throw” and nature has been wise, according  to the Sicilians, in showing who is a “jettatura” so that people may avoid him.

I’m definitely getting closer to the main details of the theme of my project. I speak of Palermo, of folklore, of superstitions and I rely on a detailed study of superstitions and readings of Palermo. I loved reading these pages as I find this book to be fascinating.

 

FMP Development 1

“Sunny Sicily: Its rustics and its ruins” by Alec-Tweedie, Mrs. (Ethel), D. 1940

This has been a great inspiration especially for the images of big importance in the book as these have helped me to contemplate the rustic feel of what will then be my final project. How can an image be more sicilian?
Some images have been a big surprise to me as they show a Sicily and Palermo not completely different, but surprisingly new – dated around 1900 and 1940.

Here are my favorites: