In the first part of Robyn Woolston’s project, thousands of pieces of injection moulded plastic from the factory floor of MGS Plastics formed a vast and immersive installation. Using mis-moulds, ‘sprue’ and ‘purge’, the installation works ambitiously in colour, form and quantity to illustrate the nature and scale of industrial manufacturing waste.
Robyn also presented a documentary film as part of the installation, contrasting the 1st Industrial Revolution against our contemporary 4th, exploring intergenerational narratives that emerged from interviews with MGS employees to produce a film that not only draws on their stories but reaches further into our industrial heritage. Robyn’s father spent his whole life working in this industry and the film reveals the design, fabrication and plastic moulding processes in parallel with the ebb-and-flow of the Leeds to Liverpool canal, culminating in a meditation upon Lancashire-based manufacturing and its legacy.
Robyn Woolston is visual artist who works across installation, photography, moving image and print. From socially engaged practice to site-specific responses, her work seeks to harvest, uncover and re-appropriate what is ‘left behind’ by archetypal narratives. Previous installations have included the use of 7,500 ice-cream containers and 45,000 carrier bags. Woolston works both nationally and internationally questioning material values within different cultures.
MGS Technical Plastics is a plastic injection moulding company based in Blackburn, Lancashire. Established in 1974 they are now the production partner of some of the world’s leading brands. The company operates 20 plastic injection moulding machines, weighing from 22 – 800 tonnes, and riveting, heat staking, over moulding and pad printing are all standard processes for the team.
Art in Manufacturing film by Wash Films, made possible with funding from Creative Lancashire
Documentary by Robyn Woolston
Photography by Richard Tymon
