Handheld Histories as Hyper-Monuments (2007)

Handheld Histories as Hyper-Monuments (‘HHHM’) is a Locative-Media artwork by Carmin Karasic, Rob Coshow & Rolf van Gelder.

This piece is considered to be one of the pioneer Locative-Media artworks.

Handheld Histories as Hyper-Monuments (2007)

“Turbulence Commission: “Handheld Histories as Hyper-Monuments” by Carmin
Karasic, Rolf van Gelder and Rob Coshow, with special thanks to the HP
mscapers team, Brett Stalbaum, and Jo Rhodes

Designed for HP iPAQ 6900 series smartphones, “Handheld Histories as
Hyper-Monuments” uses GPS and mobile technologies to address historic bias
in Boston’s public monuments. The artwork gathers non-official stories to
socially construct hyper-monuments that exist as digital doubles, augmenting
specific historic monuments. For example, imagine you are near the Old South
Church in Boston, MA, USA. The smartphone sounds church bells to get your
attention. It then displays an easily identifiable image of the Old South
Church circa 2007, followed by images of the church that take you back in
time. Finally you see the location as it was in its natural, wild state. You
can send text, image and audio content to the website from the monument
location via any internet enabled device. Or use any internet browser to
view and add histories to the hyper-monuments.

HHHM requires HP mediascapes locative media software to create content rich
hotspots on GPS aware maps. Once the HHHM mediascape is installed on a
handheld device, a GPS fix is required to automatically display the
hyper-monument. WiFi internet connectivity is best for viewing and
contributing to the hyper-monument via the handheld’s browser.

HHHM is part of the Boston Cyberarts Festival (http://bostoncyberarts.org/).
Pick up a smartphone at the Judi Rotenberg Gallery, 130 Newbury Street, Boston from April
21-28, 2007, Tues-Sat 10am-6pm.

“Handheld Histories as Hyper-Monuments” is a 2007 commission of New Radio
and Performing Arts, Inc., (aka Ether-Ore) for its Turbulence web site. It
was made possible with funding from the LEF Foundation.“

Exhibitions

Handheld Histories as Hyper-Monuments @ Judi Rotenberg Gallery, Boston, MA, USA (2007)

Exhibitions

Links