Tell an Untold Story - Continued Research

In response to what I did on Friday, I did some research into some of the subjects I was looking at. 

Nutcrackers research - I learnt that nutcrackers are part of German folklore and were given as keepsakes as they were believed to protect your home. They represent power and strength which is why you usually see them decorated as soldiers, knights or kings. 

I also visited the Visitor Centre in Leeds Train Station to see if I could find any more information about City Square or other statues or sculpture locations in the city or nearby. This was quite a disappointing trip as I left with not much more than I came with and they didn't have any knowledge or information leaflets relating to what I was asking about. I found a few leaflets about places to see birds which I took in case this was the route I decided to take. 

Drawing from reference

Nutcrackers and wooden figures - drawn from photos from German Market

Birds - drawn from photos from museum

Even after continued factual research and drawing, I felt like I had no clear idea of what I was doing for this brief. I found it frustrating that I was doing all of this work and it wasn't going anywhere so I took a step back from everything I had done to try and pinpoint something I could progress with.

I think getting this down onto paper was what made me realise what I was actually interested in and helped me to find a specific topic that I would be willing to work with and research over the coming weeks. In relation to my drawings of people in coffee shops, I came up with the idea of how we consider tea to be this warming, cosy drink which people (especially British) find appropriate for any situation. 

The idea of a book of beautifully crafted images relating to tea did seem tempting but I know that this has been done before many times and I wanted something more interesting to make it more unique. I want the book to actually tell a story or highlight an issue. 

These roughs led me to explore tea further and I started to research the tea making process and people involved. My online research led me to an article and video on The Guardian website titled: 'The Tea Pickers Sold into Slavery.' Tea pickers in India, specifically the Assam region, are paid so poorly by companies that they often resort to selling their children to 'agencies' who promise them work and a better life in cities such as Delhi, they are told they will earn money to bring back to their families. The reality of this is that they are trafficked as slaves, not paid for their work and treated very badly by a lot of their rich owners.

This research has given me the basis of the concept of my book and the aim of it will be to make people realise the harsh story behind their comforting cup of tea. 

Links for research

http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2014/mar/02/tea-workers-sold-into-slavery

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jul/20/poverty-tea-pickers-india-child-slavery

http://www.odanadi.org

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/sep/28/trafficked-india-red-light-districts

http://www.theguardian.com/law/video/2013/sep/28/taken-exposing-sex-trafficking-and-slavery-in-india-video

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/01/india-tea-firms-urged-tackle-slave-traffic-plantations