Wednesday, 13 February 2013

Art & Technology - Worlds Apart?


When we think about art we normally think about Picasso, Lichtenstein or even Banksy.


However art and technology are not as different as we may first think. Such similarities are seen when we are dealing with cyber-text.

For me this week one thing from the lecture really stood out and that was how literacy and technology could come together in a really unique and creative way. I have been looking in particular at Geoff Ryman’s online novel – 253.

The novel is an online book and is completely full of links about characters and destinations; it is not a book with a strict beginning, middle and end and therefore would not work on paper.

This concept amazed me and I spent so much time going through this book as you can just go through the links to find out more information and end up in different places. The way in which each chapter is so short but can take you in so many different directions really appealed to me (and my short attention span!)

The book isn’t just a jumble of links and pages though, it does all flow and it makes you think about how so very different people are yet how we are all connected, sometimes by just one small link.

The book has had such a response that readers were encouraged to write their own short passage and a sequel is on its way – Another One Along In A Minute.

If you haven’t heard of this, as I hadn’t before now, I would strongly recommend clicking on the link below. But do make sure you have plenty of time as there’s no telling where the 253 will take you!

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