Our social environment is becoming more of a composition of images and objects and less a complex of spatial configurations and architecture. Typically space is something you enter into and an image is something you watch. Space is deep and an image is flat. In Flatlandia, the opposite is explored. Images have dimensions giving us room to move within them (ex. An interactive webcam of an interior) and spaces are missing dimensions only allowing us to look at them (ie a storefront window). They are places that act as though they are in a dimension other than their own.
Flatlandia uses a taxonomic approach for finding and naming examples of 'images
spaces' in cities. The documentation is being collected, organized and linked
together within a searchable database system. Location, point of view, author,
image type, and contents of the image are some properties used to create associations
between the material. The visual information is then used to generate hypothetical
actions, recipes or 'codes' for ways to 'play' the city.
As a 'dataplace', Flatlandia provides us with a workspace to conceptually experiment
with the transformation of our urban environment. It cultivates an experience
that informs the production of new physical manifestations of the imagery. A
language of flatness is developing through the site, a language that is transferable
and inspiring to range of new and ongoing artworks.
Flatlandia is open to contributors and collaborators.
If you would like to become part of this project email us:
flatlandia (at) ubermatic.org
Authors: Michelle Teran and Amanda Ramos
Commissioner (StudioXX): Karen Wong
Coordinator (Bootlab): Diana McCarty
Residencies: Studio XX (Montreal) and Bootlab (Berlin)
Site Programmer: Nicole Chung
Database Setup: Oana Spinu
Archival Material: Canadian Centre for Architecture (Montreal)
Special Thanks: Lily's House (Montreal) and Kuki's House (Berlin) Host: Studio
XX (Montreal)
