A mongrelStreet Production
iSt.Lab Project Outline for discussion:
10/23/07
Concept –
To create exciting alternative space for hard to reach young people
to get involved with creative technology. Symbolically it’s a
measure to intervene in the multiplicity of petty criminal activities
for want of a better thing to do by those who feel rejected and excluded
from most spaces.
The wheelie bin is a street art technology initiative aimed at the cadre
of young unemployed men and women that hang out on the street corners.
The project will provides opportunities for audio/video production,
interface design and interactive presentations, electronic publishing,
Internet, email and e-commerce, all critical advancement in information
and cultural exchange creating marketing/bargaining opportunities for
these young people, in that they decentralise communication and economic
activities and are therefore crucial to the target group’s prospects
for creation of wealth and poverty elimination.
From an artistic perspective I wanted to use the metaphor of the imaginary
to insulate the notion of worthlessness this is brought out in the form
of the wheelie (garbage) bin and a common notion that those brandishing
hooded jumpers and hanging on the street corner is fit only for dumping
(the rubbish bins) I wanted to use this to turn it on its head and demonstrate
that those who are most isolated are actually the most creative among
us. These are the risk takers who are willing to try things in a different
way, however they are often the ones excluded and left behind.
The wheelie bin is often filled in and discarded however modern bins
contribute a lot to the reshaping of our environment. Effective recycling
technology on the most subliminal basis begins when you choose to deposit
one kind of garbage in the bin over another effectively taking charge
of your environment, your community etc.
Presently being design the bin will have enough technology inlayed to
deliver a variety of street action that will be relevant to the primary
target group. This is a portable infrastructure and can be moved from
place to place or be reconstructed in particular locations for specific
use – bin technology can be customised to satisfy a variety of
operational mode.
I am currently working with UNESCO Caribbean to produce the first prototype
and am looking for partners to fully develop the range the initiative
can cover. Projected budget is US$150K.
Financial assistance is needed to develop various aspects
of the project, to buy in equipment, expertise and cover HR cost. A
particular specification of the iSt Lab, has to do with its mobility
and onboard radio transmission unit that will enable FM and Online broadcasting,
and the fact that it is self powered which mean it can go into real
remote environment and do the job.
Other aspect
or the development that requires attention is the built in video broadcast
capacity, which will to an extent transmitting video into (within range)
people’s front room. This mean most of the community can join into
a workshop being conducted on the corner allaying a lot of the fear that
contributes to petty criminal behaviour in the community.
A number of other interactive presentation and software applications solutions
will be built into the lab as it relates to Open Source, Open Access and
Free Software, content management systems etc. working with the Dynobolic,
Puredyne and Pure Data open source Operating Systems and programming software,
building Interactive Installations and Electronic Games. Giving the youth
on the corner the means to create his/her own technology, becoming part
of the pool of producers appropriating product designs that is relevant
to their everyday discretions.
The construction mechanism is one that allows the bin to be self powered
for a continuous average of 4 hours at a location where there is no electricity.
Using current from a motor vehicle or fixed AC current from the national
grid can charge the batteries. The bin/lab will operate as a training
and production unit covering a range of multimedia productions; two other
feature of the bin is that during workshops it will be able to broadcast
live locally on radio and on tv the activities being conducted during
the workshop. We see this as an important tool in the demystification
of the street corners.
The lab will also be used as a performance/exhibition space so that there
is an outlet for the creative productions of the participants. Hence we
have amplifier and high definition speakers connected to give it the extra
boost. For most part the main workshop participants will be learning technical
skills of different degree.
The computers and cameras are the main part of the teaching tools, this
will enable Audio/Video productions, other activities allowing participants
to perform in front of cameras or record their inspirations to hard disc
will feature high on the agenda. Learning how to manipulate software and
open source codes to make their own games or other digital products, publishing
on the Internet and print media as they learn to develop and design newsletters
and magazines.
There is a built in storage server to ensure that none of the production
goes unsaved as the whole process will be self surveilled and recorder
via Dictaphones for individual voice recording video cameras for multi
point shooting (each main participant will either be shooting his/her
own production or be shot by a trainee camera person during the workshop
which will be recorded directly to the server uncut. This will provide
a wealth of information about the target group and these kinds of interaction/initiatives.
All the equipment lends to the accomplishment of these objectives and
is intricately entwined to also allow us to provide a lab as a product
that others can use. The customisation of the installation will vary depending
on the user requirements; the lab I describe is a multi functioning lab
for creative development in a more general sense. However labs could be
customised to be purely music or video or even office based. The broadcast
component is a rather special feature as it relates to the initial target
group and their relationship with society.
The key is, really knowing how to interface the technology hard/software
and repurposing it, so the lab could be in any container as it relates
to the subject matter.
The lab will benefit for a knowledge pool of professional developers in
both hard/software manipulation and construction making it unique to the
environment while remaining seemingly familiar.