Tannic Teeth

Imagine you’re walking along the street in the city and you see someone ‘spray painting’ a car or building. An legitimate response would be “Criminal”, “Derro Kids” or even, “Vagabond youth causing wanton destruction”. But how about if it was virtual?

A relatively new outlet for artists to vent their creative talent (and non-damagingly on property) is street projections. This requires –you guessed it- projector, some digital interface (usually a laptop, tablet PC or palmtop) and a power source. Include in there eager crowds of onlookers wanting to give their ‘2 cents’ worth of contribution and you have a recipe for an exciting night. Jerrem , being the instigator of this new tangent, acquired the necessary equipment and we hit the streets of Mt Lawley one balmy autumn night. Prospect of imminent downpour from the burgeoning cumulonimbus east and west kept us on our toes; ready to dash for cover to save few thousand dollars worth of camera/ projection equipment.

The artist canvas is the table pc software designed for drawing. You use a stylus like a brush and choose from a virtual paint board. You can mix, smear, splodge, dab or any other highly technical paint action. You can project pretty much on anything but obviously white flat surfaces work best. Curious passes by are encouraged to paint what they like; in a hope to encourage expression of that particular individual (within reason obviously). The hope for this is to foster interaction between strangers, creating a sense of community; grandiosely in the end, to a better society.

What lies ahead in street projecting you may ask?

With the advent of Wii remote (Bluetooth infrared sensor enabled camera/ controller), you are able to, whilst using it as either a camera sensor, or controller, ‘virtually’ control the street projection. Now a whole box of goodies has come into the equation. Infrared enabled devices like pens, mock-spray cans, ‘IR bouncy balls’ and paint rollers etc… You could spray paint a car, or buildings legally, ‘tag it up’ and not have any trace of it after the projector is silenced. Jerrem is fast developing this new interface, with sometimes the help and sometimes hindrance of me. But all in all, it’s for creative freedom and fuller expression for us and for passersby.

Small Bars.

Taken from the Western Australian Department Racing, Gaming and Liquor, a small bar “is a type of hotel licence that permits the licensee to sell and supply liquor for consumption on premises only, to no more than 120 patrons at any one time”. Essentially it’s the inverse of large establishments, the focus is turned to more of a ‘cosy’ atmosphere perhaps something that could foster repour with the bar owner. And after all, we all want to know people behind the bar.

This brings me to the classic example of a small bar I stumbled into down a little alleyway in Perth. Alda’s is a small bar/ cafe hidden tucked down Wolfe lane. The semi industrial and modern decor work well to suggest something impromptu. The drinks list features some well selected vodkas, gins and aperitifs. Beers are not centre stage, though there they are reasonably priced and more or less mainstream boutique. Wines are quite well selected though I’d like to see something more experiment and edgy. It’s a  small bar that functions well as a cafe, or a glass-of-wine-sit-down affair. It’s a bit sedate for anything other than a casual chinwag.  Another small bar is due to open very soon which will make bar hopping a better experience.

Alda’s. Wolf Lane (off Murray St) Perth. Look for the iron gates.