Placing Mountains in the Urban Environment?

So I found myself thinking about mountains as barriers and landmarks - I've already covered this previously - but I started wondering what it'd be like if I could somehow place mountains, or rather some representation of mountains, into the urban environment. How would people react? How would they use them. Would they become new landmarks, after a fashion?

I'm really into locative art / locative media, so this is what I immediately thought of as a possible way of doing this. One of locative art's applications is as a way of placing virtual objects in the context of a real environment, a kind of augmented reality, via smart phones, Wi-Fi and GPS tracking. More broadly, it can mean anything that uses location-based data and some form of context-sensitive media experience. Even more broadly, the term's been used to describe any kind of temporary or ephemeral art (i.e. light painting, projection, temporary sculpture etc.) that is tied to a specific locale. In my case, though, I'm thinking along virtual lines. Useful links below:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Locative_media

http://mypage.siu.edu/derek/locative/index.html


An example:

"In Hear, Out There" - locative art installation anchored to the central space of AZCA, Madrid.

Assorted Idea Research - Supporting Imager, Videos

Just a post containing some supporting imagery and such for my ideas so far. May be useful in future, even if I don't go with any of the ideas I've come up with so far. Also: another ideas post on the way, possibly within the next day.

Interactive morphing table surface. I saw this and immediately thought of my game-like object idea, the concept of people interacting with / shaping virtual representations of mountains. This interface allows interaction in a practically real-time way, while also creating a physical object, one that you can walk around and touch - perhaps this is customised to retain form, or with certain algorithms to ensure mountain-like formations (still allows a pretty diverse field, but still), and set to retain its shape? I'm imagining a wider surface here - a large meeting-room table, or even how about the entire floor of a room? Whole mountain ranges rise and fall, and you can walk through it all - potential? Here's the video:

Here's a screenshot of the Strava Global Heatmap, something I looked at in connection with the "tracking people's movements across mountains" idea. Unlikely I'll end up doing this idea, but like I said at the start of this, might be useful later on.

Website here: http://labs.strava.com/heatmap/#6/-5.52158/53.54115/blue/both


More to come.

Short Ideas Post #1

This is the first in what will probably balloon out into being a plethora of my random thoughts and ideas that I've jotted down during idle brainstorming sessions. These are mainly for myself, so they are probably largely unintelligible to anyone else, as well as the fact that they are mostly unformed at this point,  intended for later culling or remoulding into newer, better ideas. Basically, this is straight from my brain onto this blog. You have been warned.

All of the following are for the International Mountain Day, which I'm fairly certain I'm doing now. Fairly.

- Locative art / media - placing virtual information or objects in environment - interactive mountain? (ugh, maybe not in those words) (DEFINITELY not in those words)

- Waypoints, broadcast? - Digital cairn on peak?

- Something to do with nodes, marking out a route

- Room ambiance - walls are “living” views of mountain-scape (screens, discreet projections?), accompanied by ambient sounds, air currents, wind gusts.

- Game-like object - Shaping mountains (continental collision, terrain deformation) by hand / with virtual interface - see how mountains form, contours - collaborative interaction creating unique virtual / miniature landscapes.

- Psychogeography / subjective geography - tracking the routes people take up, down and across mountains - contours, lines / heat maps (showing how long they stop for and where?)?

- Something to do with geological Deep Time and the formation of mountains… timeline? timelapse? timey-wimey-wibbly-wobbly? get back to me on this one, brain.

Filing all this under "More investigation required."

Initial Research and Thoughts

STREET CHILDREN'S DAY (January 31st)

Set up by Jugend Eine Welt (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jugend_Eine_Welt) in 2009. Organisation promotes aid to youth nationally in Austria and also internationally. Goals: Encourage development, education and emergency relief projects; raise awareness in Austria; enable young Austrians to do voluntary service; collect donations for development, education and relief projects.

Set up to mark anniversary of canonisation of John Bosco "Father and Teacher of Youth". Religious angle - raises funds for the Salesians of Don Bosco and the Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco. Information sent to parishes, teachers etc.

Quote from Jugend Eine Welt website (http://www.jugendeinewelt.at/2.0.html): "The organisation´s objective is the encouragement of the holistic development of children and young people and nurtures them with the philosophy of Don Bosco."

Other days of observance - International Day for Street Children (April 12th)

Further reading:

Consortium for Street Children (http://streetchildren.org/)

Street Kids International (http://uk.streetkids.org/)

Trocaire Article "Towards a Conceptualisation of Street Children: The Case from Sudan to Ireland" (http://www.trocaire.org/resources/tdr-article/towards-conceptualisation-street-children-case-sudan-and-ireland) (provides examples of negative attitudes towards street children as a whole - that many, incl. governments, consider them to be a "social threat", etc. - also seeks to define terms, so useful, if a little dry)

WORLD THEATRE DAY (March 27th)

Website: http://world-theatre-day.org/en/index.html

Objectives quotes from above site: To promote international exchange of knowledge and practice in the domain of the performing arts;

To stimulate creation and increase cooperation among theatre people; To increase public awareness of the need to take artistic creation into consideration in the domain of Development; To deepen mutual understanding and contribute to the consolidation of peace and friendship between peoples; To join in the defense of the ideals and aims of UNESCO; To combat all forms of racism or social and political discrimination. So, pretty broad. This seems to be a popular UNESCO thing, that being the expression of high ideals and the intention of social, political and moral progressiveness, within the bounds of a celebration of a popular artistic medium that, at best, may well represent those things. Challenge: getting someone (anyone) on board with such a thing, which some might view as overly idealistic, idealising, or simply too whimsical and wishy-washy for their cynical tastes. Run by International Theatre Institute (ITI). National and international theatre events organised, at various theatres and dedicated ITI centres - circulation of World Theatre Day International Message (first one in 1962 by Jean Cocteau) - reflections on theatre and "international harmony". INTERNATIONAL JAZZ DAY (April 30th) Website: http://jazzday.com/ UNESCO non-profit, partnered with the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz. The culmination of Jazz Appreciation Month, which draws attention to jazz and its heritage. Quote from website: "International Jazz Day brings together communities, schools, artists, historians, academics, and jazz enthusiasts all over the world to celebrate and learn about jazz and its roots, future and impact; raise awareness of the need for intercultural dialogue and mutual understanding; and reinforce international cooperation and communication. Each year on April 30, this international art form is recognized for promoting peace, dialogue among cultures, diversity, and respect for human rights and human dignity; eradicating discrimination; promoting freedom of expression; fostering gender equality; and reinforcing the role of youth in enacting social change." It's all about the jaaazz, maaan. From un.org (http://www.un.org/en/events/jazzday/index.shtml): "Jazz breaks down barriers and creates opportunities for mutual understanding and tolerance; Jazz is a vector of freedom of expression; Jazz is a symbol of unity and peace; Jazz reduces tensions between individuals, groups, and communities; Jazz fosters gender equality; Jazz reinforces the role youth play for social change; Jazz encourages artistic innovation, improvisation, new forms of expression, and inclusion of traditional music forms into new ones; Jazz stimulates intercultural dialogue and empowers young people from marginalized societies." Use of Jazz and its perceived virtues as a way of bringing about progressive, important social change, basically. That seems to be the idea. A lot like World Theatre Day above - big ideals expressed through celebration of an artistic medium. So, again, we have the issue to reaching people with Jazz Day's message who might take umbrage with the idealistic attitude and flowery language. Today's post-modern, ultra-cynical, snarky internet denizens would probably just tune out some or all of this entirely. and, for the whatevers, INTERNATIONAL MOUNTAIN DAY  (December 11th) Run by the Food and Culture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) (http://www.fao.org/forestry/internationalmountainday/en/), designated by United Nations General Assembly Quote from site: "International Mountain Day is an opportunity to create awareness about the importance of mountains to life, to highlight the opportunities and constraints in mountain development and to build partnerships that will bring positive change to the world’s mountains and highlands." Current year's theme appears to be Mountain Farming. Previous years' themes include 2010's focus on "mountain minorities and indigenous peoples". So again, we have the problem of accessibility: mountains are very much "over there" and frankly, not a lot of people want to go up 'em - too much mud and rain and walking and the possibility of falling off something very tall. Thing is, I myself loooooove mountain walking. Maybe I can use this to my advantage, try and express what it is I like so much about it, give it that personal touch? Anyway, there're some thoughts and initial findings. Must decide on which one I'm actually doing from these few next. I can feel myself edging towards the last one (I love mountains and walking on them), but I'm still largely undecided. More thoughts to come within next few days I think.