Archiving the Text

Almost since the first Text Festival (back in 2005), I have had requests from researchers and artists to access the Text Festival Archive. Generally, while trying to be supportive to their needs, I have put them off 'accessing the archive' because it didn't exist - except in dispersed boxes, cupboards and filing systems. I hasten to add that the art collection - works commissioned, acquired, etc - arising from the festival was safely stored in the vaults. But this didn't get away from the absence of an archive. There was a reason for this: generally, I am more interested in what I am going to do next rather than what I have previously done. Over the years the occasional requests for access have increased because there have now been 3 festivals plus various projects between - most recently the Text show in Tampere, Finland - people interested in studying/using the Text naturally assume that it must have a significant volume by now. It does, but is still not in a usable form. 

So this week we were able to announce the news that we have joined up with the Contemporary Poetics Research Centre at Birkbeck, University of London to establish a national Text Archive with a Cultural Engagement Award from the Arts Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and supported by the National Archives Council.  Most of the credit is due to Carol Watts for pulling the bid together. But the thing that makes the project interesting to me is the prospect of making the Text a resource for new thinking, new creative practice. We have appointed Holly Pester to be the Text Archive Curator and in addition to establishing the archive, we will be seeking donations and acquisitions that make it even more representative of the international practice of language across artforms. 

The project also involves two public events underlining the exchange between Bury and Birkbeck: a colloquium held in the Museum in May 2013, and a colloquium and installation in Birkbeck's Forum for the Arts in early July. I've no doubt that it will generate future elements for the next Text Festival in 2014.  

Back from London

A really productive time in London - met with the Live Arts Development Agency, Carol Watts and Hans Ulrich Obrist, all to discuss plans for the Language Moment. Yet more meetings on returning up north and things are taking shape. My mailbox overflows with emails from all over the world from artists and writers confirming they want to be involved. The deadline to pull all this together for the final selection panel is insanely short - hence my cursory presence here.

Food and drink are always more important than art, so I am pleased to announce Sue has launched her own blog in which she gives her latest lifestyle and food tips - soon to become unmissable I predict:

http://sue-trehy.blogspot.com/

London - Others Seen

Holly Pester

The USS Enterprise-D has met the USS Fearless in order to take on a Starfleet propulsion specialist who will perform an upgrade on the warp drive. When specialist is ready, Capt. Picard orders the Enterprise to warp 1.5. As the ship accelerates, The Enterprise puts in a massive burst of speed. The specialist grabs his console and starts to "phase" in and out of view, noticed only by Wesley.

On the bridge, La Forge tells the captain they are passing warp 10, and Data later says that their velocity is off the scale. Picard orders a full stop, and the Enterprise drops out of warp. When he asks for the ship's position, La Forge replies incredulously that they have traveled 1 billion light years. Outside the ship, clouds of cosmic dust and energy beings swim in a never-ending blue abyss. Data concludes that they must be at the edge of the known universe and it will take them 300 years to get home.

Down in engineering, Wesley is talking to the specialist. He tells him he means no harm to the ship or the crew – he made a mistake. He is exhausted now, and Wes offers to get his mother, but the specialist declines. Wes then says that from looking at the warp equations he thinks time and space and thought are all one thing. This surprises the specialist, who tells him never to say such a thing again "in a world that's not ready for it."
Picard orders general quarters and tells the crew that they are in a region of space where thoughts become reality, and that they must try to subdue their thoughts.

The specialist is brought to sickbay where Picard tells Dr. Crusher to wake him. They must leave this place before their own thoughts cause the ship to be destroyed. The specialist wakes and tells Picard that he is actually a Traveler from another plane of existence. He is traveling through their galaxy, observing them, using his knowledge of propulsion to get passage on Starfleet ships. He meant no harm to the Enterprise. He tells them Humans shouldn't be here for a long time, until they have learned to control their thoughts. Picard asks him if he can get them home. He tells him he will try. He then asks for a private word with Picard. Scene 4:

Picard has watched Wesley leave:
PICARD: Strange how he seems to care for you.
The Traveler nods -- touched.
TRAVELER: He will forget me in time. Which is as it should be.
(eyes Picard; then)
It is Wesley I wanted to speak to you about.
PICARD: The boy?
TRAVELER: (nods) It's best you do not repeat this to the others... especially not to the mother. Whatever may happen, it is best it proceeds naturally.
PICARD(hurriedly): I must get my ship back; do we have time for this?
TRAVELER: Yes. He and a few like him are why I travel.
(sitting upright; intent now)
You have it in your power to encourage him without interfering...
PICARD: Encourage him in what?
TRAVELER: How shall I explain? Are you acquainted with the intricacies of what is called here... music?
PICARD: Somewhat.
TRAVELER: And musical genius such as I saw in one of your ship's libraries. One called Mozart, for example?
(at Picard's nod)
Who as a small child wrote astonishing symphonies as you call them... whose genius made music a tangible reality to be not only heard, but also seen and felt beyond the ability, the understanding, of others?
Traveler begins coming to his feet, Picard supporting him.
TRAVELER: (continuing) Your Wesley is such a person. Not with music but with the equally lovely intricacies of time, energy, propulsion...(gestures) ... and the instruments of this vessel which allow all that to be played.
The Traveler begins moving weakly toward the hatch leading to the corridor.
TRAVELER(continuing):You are right, I must hurry now...
(pausing at the door)
You are right in something else. He is also just a boy for now. He should be encouraged... but told none of this.

Back from London

Just back from a couple of intense days in London and the very pleasant company of artist/curator Marianne Eigenheer, Museums consultant Benedetta Tiana (shown eating Japanese), poets Carol Watts (second photo) and Caroline Bergvall (website in my links), Professor Will Rowe, and Petur Arason from Iceland - with whom I saw the Altermodern show at Tate Britain, which I will review this weekend. Sorted out various projects including my forthcoming book, a couple of international museums developments, and the structure of the Poetics symposium in the Text Festival.

Carol Watts

Carol Watts (http://www.bbk.ac.uk/eh/staff/WattsCarol ) visited yesterday see the Irony of Flatness (picture 1) and discuss various project possibilities. Also shown introducing Phil Davenport to her "China" series - some of which will feature in the Text Festival anthology. Here is a sonnet from her 'Brass, Running':

IX

difficult and persistent is the light
and its qualities a haunting of precepts
her gunmetal sanctuary where breath mists
famished in its reckoning her absence is
a volume to be accounted for do you know
the desolation of measurement motes
descending second per second without
intimation think of the sound of light as
a guttering of limbs its rush a hunger
to sustain the evidence of breathing snatched
from other open mouths the denial
of burning is not harmless she is not here
is something inflammatory baptism: light
and water implicated in the frenzy of cities