Tannic Teeth

It was 9c. I was running late for projections and I though would be smart and ‘kill two birds with one stone’ and quickly nip into the Borders to get a MOLESKINE for my creative writing needs, after all it was only 8pm. Of couse you don’t consider that blissfully driving into the city, then to content with no parking and a light smattering of rain, I made it half way to Borders but fruitlessly without what I had intended to get. For that is why I was late. I’m sorry Jerrem!

OK. Aside from that, the projection night (1st Aug 2008) was pretty groovy with plenty of new inquisitive faces poking around like curious rabbits. We had some total randoms come by and say pretty much WTF is this!? They had a go with stylus in hand, drawing whatever took their fancy. As a stop gap measure to a lack of power, we ran the whole show from Jerrem (trusty) car. It provided all the juice needed, and it did open up new wormholes in to mobile projection and guerilla movie screenings. I just can’t wait for them to happen…

It was time again to brave the elements, don on your cold weather gear and grapple with artistic expression on the side of Perth buildings. V.30 saw the introduction of alphabet board inspired by fridge magnets and cool 3D modeling over cars and bikes kodus to Daniel. Just like fridge magnets you only have the 26 letters of which to play with, so you have to be a little creative. Aside from that again, we had curious onlookers this time mainly cleaners disposing garbage a few more random people and an overzelous security gurad. It’s kind of cool meeting new people projecting having only linked up in the virtual world of facebook or blogosphere.

All in all the night carried a sub polar chill (thanks to a strong easterly), so crowds kept to huddled circles jittering to keep warm. Those energetic enough provided the artistic inspiration, a few cool displays from randoms and well familiar faces. A pity, the site’s lighting was a little too dark so most photos are blurred, but some on tripods fared well. I could have used my newest lens addition (Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8 L USM) if only it wasn’t 1 day late. Till next projections, we’ll have to wait. A big thanks to Jerrem for facilitaing this event once again.

For the last 3 nights I have wandered the streets Perth with Jerrem in search of good points to ‘plug in’ to the power grid, of course for free power, but like all things in this world, it aint free. We could not avoid glances from suspicious eyes as I trotted round the city with a camera bag attached; complete with tripod sticking out, and Jerrem wheeling a trundling tool box of projections paraphernalia. (Mind you an intimidating glance from a scary man holding what looked like a Hasselblad H series!?! Why would anyone want to mug a thug clutching a $30,000+ camera I have no idea).

We were in search of the improbable if not impossible. A 240V power point, unalarmed, free into- the-grid-and-decent-adjacent-building-to-project-onto site. By decent I mean, generally white in colour, no windows and a greater than 2meters and less than 10 stories height, as you know if you live in Perth you would know , our options are rather limited. Also working with the current lens that I do have (Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0 L-series IS USM) it’s not the best for night shots though the Image Stabilization does help a fraction when you have the ISO bumped way up- sans tripod. We found many sites and fewer power points that always happened to be flanked either side with inappropriate canvas space.

All in all though we found 2 sites both in Northbridge, both 5min walk from each other. The first one lies on the vacant lot next to Mustang Bar. This location belies the ‘stumbling into’ nature of street projection, for passersby anyway that we are trying initiate. People perhaps are uninquisitive enough to walk 30meters into a vacant quasi-construction site into a group of shadowed youths brandishing laser pointers and Wii remotes. But I remain hopeful- for those that will be constructive to our cause.

The other is a cracker of a site protected by a 2m colour bond fence complete with dissuading bougainvillea thickets. The plot of land actually forms what appears to be the car park for community newspapers; nice little plot very spacious and topped off with big brother-esque camera. A perfect canvas towers to the west, windowless in a terracotta if-not-mistaken peachy tone. Nonetheless perfect for our needs and after a night of trawling the streets, and a comming down with a sore throat that I wanted the world to know about, it was ended at newely refurbished cafe-come-lounge Greens’s and Co. in Leederville for some soothing icecream and tea.

Check out Jerrem’s link for upcoming locations, events.

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.