BIRMINGHAMissue:1

contentscontents

1000 thoughtsONE MIND

skate park

Watch thecity

gallery

Disorder

Waterside

Editors

Strangerstories

Editors

Liz Yates

Jason Walton

Olivia Jabra

Sun Jiang Hui

UrbanPlayground

This is a magazine created by students. The idea behind this was to have a abstract look into undiscovered birmingham

Birmingham, the second largest city

in England. Diversity is at its peak in this city. What I tried to capture in my photography is the undiscovered abstract. So many stories within one city, every single story being unique and special in its own right. Imagine if each thought of every person who lived within the city of Birmingham was personified and floated around us. Surrounding us. Would our thoughts be bubbles of protection? Doubt? Destruction? If people could openly see what others were thinking would this city be a better place to live in, or would it be like a constant raincloud over our heads? Maybe our thoughts should be converted into actions, as our thoughts cannot be physically seen by the human eye. We all contribute to our city

in different ways, be it negative or positive. But regardless of whether we love our city or we hate it, its OUR city and as members and citizens of Birmingham we should make the most of it and realise all the great things about this city instead of sitting, basking in the negatives. What do you contribute? What's you place? Do your thoughts need to change?

1000 thoughtsone mind

I spoke to one of the members of staff and asked him a few questions about Disorder.

So, how long has Disorder been running for?

Two and a half years and loving every minute.

When did you discover your passion for what you do?

Just started off as a but of freelance photography then I walked into this place looking for a job. Had no professional training, but learnt everything on the job. Since Ive been here I've even learnt how to sew. a very handy skill.

Tell me a brief background of this business.

Well it evolved from just making and selling rave wear to curating customers, networking and selling high end clothes now. We do all the designing and pattern cutting ourselves. All of the menswear is handmade by us and all of the women’s wear we buy from independent designers across Britain.

How many people are involved in the business?

There's four of us all together. Mark is the main man. He creates most of the designs and curates a lot of customers.

Disorder

Stumbling across this fashion boutique I came to the realisation that the staff in this

boutique design and make most of the clothes in the store. Your greeted by wonderful staff who are obviously passionate about what they do and what they are offering to the public. They also have a portfolio of work that you can look through at your leisure this is also really well thought out as customers may want to see more designs or where the designs of the clothes and the designs on the t-shirts/jumpers came from.

What is your work ethos as an individual and as a business?

I love making people happy. So when they come into disorder I talk to them to find out what it is they want and give honest opinions on what I think. Even if they don't leave with a garment in a bag, if they leave with a smile on their face and I've given them good service I feel I have done my job.

I'd say the shop ethos is providing a different experience to your regular high street shop. With both clothing and service. Where did the funding come from to make this business a reality?

This business was built by Mark, he stepped out on his dream, using his own life savings and thankfully it has grown and becoming more successful as each day passes.

Would Disorder go international?

If I'm honest I feel it already is. We have got people buying our garment and designs from all over the world.

Find Disorder on Facebook: Type in Disorder Boutique and ask to join

the group to see some of the amazing designs Mark Rob and others

are adding.

Watch The

CITY

Fling back the curtains and there is sits, the

sun over the city. One of the most magnificent views- the morning trains slowly sliding past and I wonder if the people inside can see me smiling as the sun kisses my cheeks. Birmingham is my new home now, it was where my finger fell when I closed my eyes and picked a city many many months ago. No regrets I thought as I got on the plane and flew my belongings and I over here.It's only been a couple months but I haven't learned to love it, there was no effort in falling in love with this place. It's my Narnia. I have been handed the most magical city. Birmingham holds all the little secrets and all the knowledge. I learn more about it everyday and even though nobody notices most of it, it leads to more than just rows and rows of busses and taxis. There are endless alleyways that

lead to the mystical pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, there are millions of people that walk among us but if you stop to talk to them, they all have an interesting story to tell. There are shops and pubs, canals and artists that have been born here and grown up to be the glowing white swan. I take my camera around with me everywhere, if not my DSLR then my little Sony, if not that then my Granddads old Olympus 35RC, if not that then a my polaroid or disposable. It doesn't matter what I hold but it's always something I must have with me before I leave my room because I know that everyday holds something a little more sparkly and a little more enchanted. Birmingham is a city full of hope and wonder and youll only find out if you watch it for a day.

URBAN landscape

URBAN landscape

Birmingham can look like a high class city

or a struggling rough low budget town. There are so many angles to see it from and this is captures in these photos.

U ndergroundR andomB randedA bstractN eglected

galleryAt modern society , if youve got even the slightest

interest in art , Birmingham is a delight . In fact , Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery is the largest local authority museum service in England . To be more precise , it is one of the worlds finest collections of Pre-Raphaelite art , as well as extensive collections of fine and applied art , social history arthaeology and ethnography . Moreover , collection is mainly including online collection , spotlight session and collections Enquiry service . Plenty of collections has shown that gained the audience recognition . For example , a large number of paintings are so rich and every paintings background must have a story , which not only let us appreciate art , but also help us learn more history . Despite this Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery uses these collections , buildings and service to encourage learning and enjoyment for all . For instance , take fun activities at the museum especially , during the school holidays and at weekends . It will create more opportunities for education. Therefore , my essay is mainly encouraged welcome to Birmingham to visit Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery , which could help you widen yourself knowledge and enlarge yourself view . Furthermore , Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery located in city centre , where recorded the development about the industry city and at that time Birmingham have the development in the world , which could be let them feel proud of it . However , a growing number of famous artist comes from Birmingham , for example , David Cox . Specifically , he was an England landscape printer . Furthermore , he exhibited for the first time with the Birmingham society of Artists in 1829 and with the Liverpool Academy in 1831 . And several of his work are in Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery , having been donated by Joseph Henry Nettlefold , on the condition it opened on Sundays . Additionally , some people claimed that In his works there are power and insight to swamp all the others put together . To conclude , regarding this essay , welcome people to visit Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery . If you're a artist , coming there is necessary .

skate park

The Birmingham skate-park is a place

where most teenagers in Birmingham find themselves. It's a place where you can run free in a concrete urban world and watch as trains slide by. You sit on a picnic blanket and wonder what passengers might be thinking as they stare at you until they're gone, far far away. You wonder if their minds are as alive as yours. You walk past the graffiti and wished to have a can of spray as you admire all the local artists. And if you do have a can, you spray away your fears and mind as you wish for the world to understand you. You think they don't but then you remember all the young hearts, all the other young bloods that wish the same thing everyday. You prance around in a pretty velvet dress and crave for the sun to burn bright forever. You knew nightfall was coming and it was time for you

to leave but it's such an alluring place that your body cannot leave it. You walk away from the crowds of souls still there and pondered how long they'd stay there for. You had nothing to leave for, no reason to wander off so you stay and spill your heart out to the sticks and stones that are brushed on the ground. You speak to the ink in the wall, the talking quotes and plants that want to be seen. It's a teenager's world out there and nobody realizes that you've lost yourself in a world full of secrets and a world full of love and lust, a world full of ink and young minds. You do find yourself, walking away slowly. But not too long later, when you awaken the next morning, the sun in your eyes, the cold wind brushed against your skin, you find yourself in your own world again. You find yourself back at the park, back out there, content with another day.

waterside

When walking through the busy streets of Birmingham the last place you would expect

to have a break would be a canal boat, yet situated within the Brindley place area right on the waters edge you will find George. This cosy retreat offers a snug place to rest and plan your next steps.

Although the coffee is the average quality you would expect the surroundings offer a quaint and relaxing environment to detach yourself from the bustling city. As you would expect the boat is strapped for space and although experiencing the odd bob of the boat on the water as clientelle enter and exit, and this in turn causes your coffee to tremble and shake like in Jurassic park. The friendly staff and novel aspect of being on a boat forgive these discrepancies. For me friendly service is optimal for any service. It creates a warm and welcoming aura that invites you to investigate further. This is as much as an advertisement as the posters themselves. On this cafe boat you are not only paying for coffee, but for an experience you can take with you. I know I haven't drunk coffee on a canal boat before. George, Despite its size, brings quite abit of custom. When I visited it was quite hard to find a place to sit.

Apart from quaint coffee shop, Brindley place offers a range of bars and restaurants that give a very cosmopolitan feel to the entire experience. There is something about being next to a canal that invites you to relax and take you surroundings in. To contrast this, the main road running next to it houses some of the liveliest nightclubs in Birmingham such as Gatecrasher and Bliss. This area holds excitement and tranquility all at the same time. Given the time of day Brindley Place has a culture to satisfy all tastes and rituals. This is a magazine created by students.

Our whole lives we walk among

people and we never once thought about the lives they've lived, the thoughts in their heads. We've come a very quiet, isolated population and it's really such a shame. On one very bright-clouded afternoon, I decided to go out and speak to some of the people that make up Birmingham. I walked to very many people who, not surprising, kept to themselves and wouldn't open up. I spoke to very many who wouldn't allow me to talk a photograph of them, and that upset me, to see people shying away from such a lovely opportunity. But alas, I walked away content with a decent conversation. But I bet you're wondering why there are four different faces sitting on the page, and I will undoubtedly tell you. These four black and white faces

were four of the most amazing people I could have met that afternoon- two potential lawyers, a girl about to bid farewell to her teenage years and man who believed in Rainbows more than anything. I can't emphasize how they've all affected my life, but they truly have. The way their minds opened up to me, the way they looked directly into my camera, the way they fidgeted before walking away. It's all the little things we must notice and nobody really does. So if today you are going to walk through town, open your eyes a little wider and take in every detail, speak to strangers and learn more about what the world has to offer, because we live in such a beautiful place.

Stranger stories

We hope this has gave you an insight into some more abstract

and different views into the city that is birmingham

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8c5h0iHK7PE&feature=channel_video_title

online identcheck out our online ident by following this link!

(alt. find jasondwaltons channel on youtube and find it there)