Background to KM:MK |
What is KM:MK? |
'Knowing My Milton Keynes' is the practical project for the research project of PhD student and professional storyteller Terrie Howey. Terrie is undertaking her PhD research at Loughborough University where the focus of her work combines her career as a storyteller and her home of Milton Keynes.
Terrie is researching how storytelling effects listeners in a real world situation. This research explores how storytelling as both a method of sharing heritage, and as a form of oral heritage, impacts the sense of place experienced by residents of a new town such as Milton Keynes. |
The project of 'Knowing My Milton Keynes' includes performances given by Terrie in varying areas of Milton Keynes, workshops where participants can gain skills in oral and digital storytelling, and an exhibition which will include the work of both Terrie and participants.
The stories used in this project are histories, folktales, urban myths and personal narratives, all of which have a connection to the area of Milton Keynes, but which might originate prior to the construction of the new town. Terrie has created an online questionnaire for the wider community to get involved, as well as interviewing residents of Milton Keynes face to face. |
KM:MK: Philosophy of the Title and Logo
The concept of the practice-based action-research project title came from the abbreviation used by locals for Milton Keynes “MK”. The logo needed to be visually appealing whilst also incorporating elements of the project, such as Milton Keynes and its status as a new town. The title was devised by reversing “MK” to “KM” incorporating ‘knowing my’ as a prefix to MK, giving the project a title which also incorporated the theme of knowing its stories, heritage and connecting to sense of place. Originally the title was planned to be “R:MK” based on the concept of Milton Keynes as connected to its inhabitants. However, this was changed to KM:MK partly due to the discovery that another project locally was using the title “Our MK”, and because KM:MK was more suitable in that it introduced the idea of getting to known Milton Keynes through its stories and heritage rather than “R:MK” which simply suggests ownership.
The design of the logo began by reflecting on the Minoan axe symbol which was used by the Milton Keynes Development Corporation (MKDC) as their logo. They had settled upon this symbol as it represented Knossos, which to date historians regard as the first purpose-built planned city. The MKDC by choosing this symbol were linking Milton Keynes as the last/latest planned city to Knossos, the first, and in doing so attempting to form a lineage and consequently a heritage. By manipulating the letters K and M, a Minoan axe shape can be formed, which is shown in the animated version of the logo (seen on the home page of this site) where the letters roll into (and then out of) the Minoan axe shape. Therefore the animated logo links to the MKDC and the origin story of Milton Keynes, and demonstrates the area’s evolution as it constantly changes and adapts – incorporating its cultural heritage, tangible and intangible, indigenous and migratory populations.
On the static image of KM:MK logo (below) it is possible to see a brick structure within the letters, coloured blue – this relating to the council’s logo shading the letters ‘MK’ in blue and green. This brick motif is to acknowledge the constructed nature of Milton Keynes as a place, but also how human beings construct their sense of place through the memories, stories, beliefs and traditions, they create around tangible objects and buildings. By looking through the letters to this constructed motif, the viewer is looking through Milton Keynes and what they know of it to find a deeper level of understanding, which in essence visually describes the process of this practice-based action-research.
The design of the logo began by reflecting on the Minoan axe symbol which was used by the Milton Keynes Development Corporation (MKDC) as their logo. They had settled upon this symbol as it represented Knossos, which to date historians regard as the first purpose-built planned city. The MKDC by choosing this symbol were linking Milton Keynes as the last/latest planned city to Knossos, the first, and in doing so attempting to form a lineage and consequently a heritage. By manipulating the letters K and M, a Minoan axe shape can be formed, which is shown in the animated version of the logo (seen on the home page of this site) where the letters roll into (and then out of) the Minoan axe shape. Therefore the animated logo links to the MKDC and the origin story of Milton Keynes, and demonstrates the area’s evolution as it constantly changes and adapts – incorporating its cultural heritage, tangible and intangible, indigenous and migratory populations.
On the static image of KM:MK logo (below) it is possible to see a brick structure within the letters, coloured blue – this relating to the council’s logo shading the letters ‘MK’ in blue and green. This brick motif is to acknowledge the constructed nature of Milton Keynes as a place, but also how human beings construct their sense of place through the memories, stories, beliefs and traditions, they create around tangible objects and buildings. By looking through the letters to this constructed motif, the viewer is looking through Milton Keynes and what they know of it to find a deeper level of understanding, which in essence visually describes the process of this practice-based action-research.