Graham Tansley Interview

Graham Interview 

We decided to interview Graham because we know he has an interest in sustainability and he knows a lot about it and it could offer us a better insight into Sustainability and on a personal note i could maybe use what he says in my essay or my own practice. 

Today we had an interview with Graham Tansley about sustainability within the college and his thoughts on sustainability in general. I have used this as part of the group we are thinking of setting up and also to get a insight into how somebody who has sustainability and the forefront of there own practices and also as somebody who feels that sustainability is important to any design profession. Not only this but he is a key figure within the university so it is a good opportunity to see what happens in the university in terms of a sustainable practise.  

Questions

Are you on the sustainable board?

What is it you do for the college? (on the sustainable board)

What is the college currently doing to be a more sustainable?

What do you think of the college’s sustainable approaches?

Is there anything which you would like to see the college do more of?

Do you think the college has a responsibility to educate the students on sustainability practices?

Do you teach how important sustainability on your course? For example provide briefs, lectures on sustainability?  

If there was a change in the college curriculum that had a brief or whole module revolved around sustainability, do you think that would be something good to implement?

What would you like to see done?

  

You co founded an ethical design studio in Bradford, did you implement sustainable practises within your work?

Have you heard of the green exchange? If so have you ever taken part? Or know anyone who has taken part? 

Have you got any advice to give us in taking part in sustainable design and setting up a sustainable design group? 

Although we had these questions we didn't really follow them and we just basically had a chat with Graham but covered all of them in one way or another. Bellow are the points he covered and things i found interesting. 

• See what other courses are like what makes them sustainable 

• Do it within university, we have access to other students who are interested, small so can make a change and we have the possibility of actually making a change because we have a better access to staff and board members. 

• He thinks that having sustainability implemented across all courses and have it within the module or a brief is a really good idea and something he has tried, so with us speaking up it will add a lot of weight to his argument.  

• They are marked on how ethical there work is like on vis com, this should be across all courses. Plus there is a number of his students who are interested in sustainability. 

• The uni has strict costs restraints and so its hard to implement some high cost energy saving methods. 

• The uni has a lot of sustainable approaches already in terms of heating, lights, smart meters etc but there needs to be more within the module and more collaboration between students and staff, getting the students involved will have more of a impact and the boards members will listen if a large body of students who had something to say.

• He thinks talking to James in students Union is a good idea and setting up a group will show how much of a interest there is in sustainability and sharing ideas and things that need to be done is a good idea. 

• Creating a research project to show what all the course in the Uni are like (e.g. what makes photography sustainable?) and what the sustainable approaches are at the other universities in Leeds. 

• He would like a student voice on the sustainable board from each course so there is that communication between students and staff and we can get our voice across.  

Evaluation 

As well as this Graham talked to us about his own practices and how he came to being a lecturer at Leeds College of Art, i found what he had to say about ethical design very interesting, how he would only work for people or companies who were doing good things, often working for little or no money and although this is maybe not an approach i would personally take i think it defiantly makes me think about who i pick and choose to work for and if they have a any ethical issues or do things that are against what i believe in. 

  In terms of the work that Graham happily showed us it was captivating and each one had a story behind it, such as his work where he published a black man on the front cover, which back in the day when he was younger was something that was never done and a lot of people would have questioned his decision, but sticking to his beliefs and what was clearly right he went with it. This is something that flows throughout his work and it provides and interesting insight into a tutor at our university, i think seeing tutors work like this is important and you straight away get to know what there about and who they are as a person form there work and not just from them verbally saying something. As a side note i think this is something that Graphic Design tutors could do, show us some of there work, because after being here for 3 years i haven't seen work from just about all of my tutors, which seems strange. 

  Grahams knowledge of the college and it sustainable approaches was really helpful and it gave us an insight into how things are done at the college and what as a group we can do, such as speaking to James at the students union to set up a sustainable designers group to get things moving in terms of sustainability in the university not just this year but for future years to come, having this in place would help a lot. I think also working with his students because from what he said there was a lot of them who were interested in sustainability as well, this would them already create a large group that can then have a better chance of getting a message out there.