BEAP 2007, September 14 – October 6
Spectrum Project Space, 221 Beaufort St, Northbridge WA

::web activity coming soon::

Principle artist – Cat Hope
Contributing artists:
Dr Malcolm Riddoch – web wrangler
Rob Muir – book curator.

DESCRIPTION
This installation has two components, a bookshelf full of carefully prepared talking books, and a web site full of instant, spontaneous and unedited talking books.
The installation is ‘activated’ by people calling one of 4 mobile phone numbers. The call activates the installation at the bookshelf. They may leave a message, which will activate the installation at metaphonica.com, which in turn adds to the bookshelf as it is played back into the installation by way of an RSS feed.
Four of the books on the shelf contain mobile phones, that when called play ‘ring tones’ made from readings of the parts of the books that were cut out to accommodate them (book readings). Another two books contain speakers that play back messages left on message bank (posts). There are 6 playing books on the shelf, amongst another 10-15 books.
RATIONALE
In this installation books are cannibalised by digital technologies - their contents are cut out and read aloud on call - sometimes they reproduce carefully prepared works, other times they reproduce the comments of anyone and everyone, without editing. One sound is carefully manicured by the artist, the other on the fly by the contributor.
Many books are now available on line, instantly retrievable for those who have the equipment to do so. Information is published to podcast by anyone and instantly downloaded - no editing or writing ability required, a different scenario to the way books are prepared.  Are web sites, with their multi media delivery, the new books, the new information repositories we once considered libraries to be? This installation compares books and digital delivery of information, looking to the chance composition techniques of John Cage and and the cut ups of William Burroughs.