FMP- My Grandad is probably a Secret Agent.

My grandfather has always been a bit of a mystery. Some things don’t make much sense and in this project I investigated his life further. I think he might be a secret agent...

Timeline pages

He worked as a peripatetic teacher, traveling the Scottish isles teaching woodwork. A likely cover up for his missions of espionage. 

Passports and illustrations of people in the 1920's

Between 1946-50 he visited communist Russia and China, as well as hitchhiking to Fascist Spain under Franco rule. In the 60’s my mother was born and they lived in Malawi before being kicked out by the newly installed Prime Minister Dr. Banda.

1950's Leaders

Since then he's been traveling and has to keep a low profile in case a long lost foe glimpses his face.

I have researched into his daily life, his in-depth travel diaries, the locations he visited and their historical backgrounds. Also, I've conducted interviews with the people who knew him during these times, and collected photos from the period. 

Even if it turns out my grandfather was not a secret agent, I think that his life is full of stories worth telling, and this project has given me the freedom to create work about them. 

Below are some animations and gifs I have created-

 

This animation is from a story from when he was in China. He had apparently needed a wheelbarrow-full of money to purchase a lamp stand.

In his childhood, he recalled a plane crashing into a field near to where he lived.

A keen hiker, the Scottish highlands are the place to go. 

Rough seas and seas sickness were all too common during his time in the merchant navy.

Perhaps his time traveling was a cover up for his job as a secret agent?

Although the hand in for this project is the 1st May. I will continue to work on this project over the summer.

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Work below is from after the deadline-

Rotoscoping Russia 1950s

https://www.pinterest.com/GabeDRobertson/