Presentation about an experiment in located literature and 'haunted' objects taking place in Hardy Country.

1. an experiment in located literature

2. A hand-crafted box that speaks
and knows where it is
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Unlocking and creating geolocated media
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Releasing poetry back into the wild
WHERE WE BEGAN

3. from Dorchester to Stinsford
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Exploring the landscape
that inspired a writer
LITERARY PILGRIMAGE

4. The poems of 1912/13
Themes of landscape, memory & regret
A journey from birthplace to grave
An active fan base & community
A pioneer of literary tourism
WHY HARDY?

5. Why, then, latterly did we not speak,
Did we not think of those days long dead,
And ere your vanishing strive to seek
That time's renewal? We might have said,
'In this bright spring weather
We'll visit together
Those places that once we visited.'
His WifeHis SecretaryThe Poet Her Cat

6. HERE LIES THE HEART OF THOMAS HARDY O.M.
HIS ASHES REST IN POETS CORNER IN WESTMINSTER ABBEY.

7. Taking Virtual walks
Remotely charging
the box with
personalised assets
Planning an actual
walk
Sharing,discussing,
tracking
Hardy Country
WALKS &
ROUTES
WEBSITE
THE BASIC PROPOSITON
Geolocation
Plays media
Records media
Unlocks/Splits
Lights up.
Web upload &
download
Other sensors
THE BOX

8. Locative literature
Site-specific performance & participation
Art-based enquiry of public spaces
Interdisciplinary practice & partnerships
The internet of things
‘Enchanted’ objects
WIDER APPLICATIONS

9. GEOLOCATED AUDIO IS INCREDIBLY EASY TO DO

10. IS THIS THE KIND OF EXPERIENCE WE WANT?

11. OR THIS?

12. OR THIS?

13. A theatrical prop (dramatic context)
Locally made
A shared object (not yours)
Contains mystery
Promotes conversation & sociability
A connection to others
(in another place & time)
Frees up the phone (e.g. health monitoring)
The natural sound of the outdoors
It ‘fits’ the story
WHY A BOX?

14. Plays audio in specific locations
Records and stores audio in specific locations
(or when pressed/set down)
Takes photographs in specific locations
(or when the box is held in a certain way)
Lights up from the inside
(for revealing ‘spyhole’ images within the box)
Unlocks ‘secret’ compartments in specific locations
Splits in two
(each piece knowing where the other is)
Publishes to the web
(Twitter, Facebook, SoundCloud)
Takes remote web audio and plays it locally
AFFORDANCES

15. THE BOOKLET
Poems for you to recite & record
Suggested routes & box interactions
A place for you to make notes & write
Scan your pages & ‘remodel & remake’ the booklet for others

17. AN ONLINE VERSION
create a ‘virtual’ walk
curate all the captured audio & images
remotely place audio in the walkers’ way

20. CO-CREATION
Assets generated by many different walkers
New ‘hauntings’ & personal readings
Memory exercises
“Narrative archaeology”

22. A DIGITAL EDITION

23. WRITERS & PUBLISHERS
short form, episodic content (or access to a
regularly updating stream) paid for by subscription – or
barter...
reiteration, repurposing
participation & co-creation
a multidisciplinary craft-based approach
location-aware & context-sensitive
‘embedded’ screenless technology/screens everywhere
out-of-copyright or rights-free literature
as the source for digital play & inspiration