project title
Transatlantic Wireless: an interrogation of cellular space
project description
Ana and Maria are leaders in a group called Burundi, a collective and art space in Bratislava, Slovakia. Kevin Hamilton is an artist based in Urbana,Illinois. We propose the creation of a temporary mobile social space between Bratislava and New York, modelled after "walking" cell phone conversations. Our intention is to interrogate the technology and economy of cell phone usage in city spaces through a parallel, critical activity.
NO CELL PHONES SHOULD BE USED DURING THIS ACTIVITY.
It will take place entirely outside, in the streets of Bratislava and Manhattan.
The project will take 90 minutes to complete, and can start on any public sidewalk, though Maria and Ana will likely start at Burundi, and Kevin will start in a Manhattan location convenient for the Psy-Geo Conflux attendees. Each of the two parties should assemble as large a group of people as they desire. Each of the two parties should have already assembled:
1. a COMPASS
2. a TIMER
3. MONEY - each group should assemble half of the cost of a 90 minute cell phone conversation between Bratislava and New York, preferably in small change, divided into 16 equal parts. (for example, if a 90 minute phone call costs 40 dollars, the NYC group should have 20 dollars divided into 16 parts of $1.25 each, and the Bratislava group should have the equivalent in Slovakian currency.)
At a predetermined time, Kevin in New York and Ana / Maria in Bratislava will simultaneously begin two synchronized walks, along with whoever wishes to join them. (Participants should be encouraged to contribute money to the pile.)
At the precisely pre-arranged starting time, the two assembled groups will place the first of their 16 piles of money on the ground at their starting locations. The money should be placed in the open.
As soon as the money is placed, each group should walk as straight as it can directly east.
After exactly six minutes of walking east, each group should stop and place the 2nd of the 16 piles of money on the ground. Then it should immediately start walking directly east again.
After 6 minutes of walking east, each group should stop again, placing the third pile of money on the ground.
These two steps - placing a 16th of their money on the ground and walking for six minutes as straight as possible - should be repeated until all 16 parts have been left in the open to be found.
The path should be tightly timed, and should follow this path through space, constructing a 4x4 grid of 16 piles of money on the ground.
name
Maria Corejova, Ana Filip, and Kevin Hamilton
location
Slovakia / Urbana, Illinois
links
www.synchronaut.net
www.theotherend.net
glowlab.blogs.com/news/2004/01/synchronaut.html#more
www.katearmstrong.com/preamble/hamilton.html
www.mad03.net/ing_project.php?id_artistas=663
www.neural.it/nnews/otherend.htm
www.buryzone.sk
www.slovakspectator.sk/clanok-14917.html