"First Editions" is a project that allows for people in Downtown Pittsburgh to walk in off the street and commission a contemporary work of art, assist in its making, and then take it home all in the span of a typical coffee break (10-15 minutes).
This work of art uses the ubiquitous and pwerful technology of the written language. In one strict sense this is an Epic poem, but broken up into small pieces and distributed across the city. It is a documentary record of a conversation between the artist and the patron commissioning the work.
Patrons and the artist will talk about what is important to the patron. What would they like to have cast in words? Do they someday want a family? Do they regret something? Do they miss the dead? Will they commission a poem for someone they love? Are they lost in a world not of their own making and feel dispossessed of all power and need a screed? Or maybe they like cats. It doesn't matter what the content is as long as the patron has a genuine connection to something and the ability to speak about it for a few minutes. All this conversation will take place in private in a relaxed atmosphere in a rooms filled with books and a soft chair. A poem will be typed on pure cotton on a 1936 Remington Rand machine and given to the patron along with a legal document of provenance stating they are the patron and first owner of this artwork. A digital scan will be made of the cloth with permissions given to the artist for certain usage."First Editions" is partnering with Bricolage Theater in the heart of Pittsburgh's Cultural District to maintain a solid venue publicize a consistent schedule for people to take advantage of this opportunity. A minimum of 90 days is planned to engage the public and see how this all plays out. Patrons will be charged a fee of $20. trained volunteers will man the door and keep all prospective patrons in a waiting area off the typing room.
See the vimeo link for my "type all day" bonafides.Thank you Alexi