The Institute of Psychoplasmics
The Institute of Psychoplasmics will not make you do anything against your will. However, they do strongly encourage you to watch this space as they broadcast from London tonight.
April 8, 2008
digbeth tweets
After a year of abstinence, I have finally succumbed to twitter.
Why?
SMS updating, time-stamping (sort of) and tomorrow’s invigilation. Here.
After the invigilation, once we’ve gathered back at VIVID, we’ll also be collating visual and aural traces here: www.flickr.com/groups/invigilator_digbeth/.
Let the quest for how best to document Invigilator continue!
Invigilator: Digbeth
paul conneally + nikki pugh + you + them
Saturday 29th March, 2-5pm
meet at VIVID at 2pm
As Digbeth continues its metamorphosis and assimilation into Eastside (Birmingham’s transforming, revitalising and regenerating regeneration project[1]) art institutions and project spaces present there are slowly increasing in number and yet, for the most part, they are safely kept behind locked gates, barred windows and access-controlled doors.
For Invigilator: Digbeth, a team of volunteers will take the role of gallery invigilator/visitor assistant outside where, rather than sitting in gallery spaces, they will be watchful over the streets and the day-to-day life unfolding there.
This is the fifth in the Invigilator series[2] where a single set of directions has been transposed onto different locations to determine the exact place for watching over; we can choose our significant starting points, but then a pre-determined sequence of lefts, rights and straight-ons takes us on a not-quite-random walk to an unplanned invigilation site.
Invigilator: Digbeth will consist of several invigilations taking place simultaneously throughout the Digbeth area. The significant starting points will be the galleries, studios and project spaces that would normally host the invigilators. The same galleries, studios and project spaces responsible for Digbeth’s renaissance…
Digbeth is also significant as the starting point for the Invigilator series as a whole since the directions used to arrive at the invigilation sites were derived from those used to get from home to a part-time job invigilating at VIVID.
All are welcome to join us for Invigilator: Digbeth. We will meet at VIVID at 2pm, borrow some of their red t-shirts and then walk to our respective invigilation sites (about 4 people per team) where we will be watchful for about 30 minutes before returning to VIVID for refreshments and feedback. No special equipment required: just bring yourselves, suitably warm clothing and a willingness to interact with the city.
Queries on the day phone: 0121 766 7876 (VIVID office)
Further information on the Invigilator series: www.npugh.co.uk/projects/invigilator
references:
[1] http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/eastside.bcc
[2]New Forest,Derby,Tokyo and Nuneaton
Invigilator:Digbeth has been supported by Access West Midlands
aposematic (6)
something good on Vimeo.
Aposematic
\Ap`o*se*mat”ic\, a. [Pref. apo- + sematic.] (Zo[“o]l.) Having or designating conspicuous or warning colors or structures indicative of special means of defense against enemies, as in the skunk.
… or, as in this case, a little toy mutilation/online social networking/role playing/flash mobbing/gang warfare warm-up for a game coming up in June.
Here’s my first toy mod to produce an avatar for use in the game:
- 1 × soft toy from charity shop
- 6 × flashing blue LEDs
- 3 × white LEDs
- 3 × UV LEDs
- 12 × really small rubber o-rings
- 3 × mini toggle switches
- 1 × push-to-make switch
- 1 × 9 volt battery
- lots × poor soldering skills
After some experimentation with different configurations I had to accept that the battery really had to go underneath the wiring for the LEDs. Also that the LEDs needed glueing in position to stop them from dropping back down into the body of the ladybird. This now means that the avatar is a ladybird/nikki/mayfly hybrid with a limited lifespan – once the battery dies, the avatar kind of dies too.
This has already led to some interesting behaviour on my part as I watch myself becoming very protective of the little critter and its limited supply of energy: have I switched the LEDs off when they don’t need to be on? have I put it away in such a way that the push-to-make switch isn’t accidentally pushed-to-maked?
The game itself will be a hugely collaborative effort so we don’t yet know what the final outcome will be. All that we know right now is that you’ll need a mobile phone (or possibly just a camera and an internet connection) and a toy that has been modified to represent you within the game.
In the meantime, add your name to the Emergent Game mailing list and start scouring those charity shops for something that can represent you. (With a little bit of tweaking, of course.)
Harborne Victorian gents toilet
SSSI – Sites of Social Special Interest No.3
Harbourne Victorian gents toilet.Join Harry Palmer on a pictorial survey of one of Birmingham’s last remaining Victorian still-in-use toilets
Sat 22nd March 12-1pm. Meet outside Harbourne Library (top of the high street).
Please bring a sketch pad and pens
invitation from Harry
