This time around, it’s going to be elevated. I’m going to try something very different. Yes, I’m trying to utilise the gift of technology to make our lives more impactful and lighter.
A year ago on my birthday, which I celebrated in isolation, I said I would go paperless. Close friends would have laughed in my face if I had announced it to them, especially the very talented Vexta, who witnessed me explode a backpack full of magazines, clippings, cards and flyers. I had spent over a year collecting these souvenirs from all over the world. They held the memories of all the spaces I had seen, savoured and captured inspiration. The magazine clippings came from the location I traversed yet their content fed my future dreams and desires.
I would spend another 9 months assembling the pieces into a book – to birth a visual bible. One filled with collages, vision boards of my manifestations to be realised in perfect timing.
After learning of a friend’s experience of a fire destroying all of their creative content and being presented the opportunity to hire a young designer out of Buenos Aires, I decided to digitise and animate the work. We spend the next few months, I being 14 hours ahead in Melbourne, speaking almost daily, sharing screenshots, music tracks, animation clips and our personal life. In the end we had 13 chapters to be experienced in a choose your own adventure way.
With that body of work it was time to take my career to the next level. An icon soon was born and the premium domain secured. I was venturing into the digital world.
The transition began with a story. The first of a three-part series. Three chapters were released as podcast episodes, recorded using my wardrobe as my sound studio and my phone’s mic. Produced with my direction, the Cuban Argentinian sound engineer created the psychedelic soundscape to assist in painting the scene.
The following four chapters emerged in physical form and invited the community to participate by playing a role. With four more left, and restrictions in place, we simplified and reduced while using high tech space to express in new ways.
It led me to my dream. A dream come true – though I was so exhausted – it was challenging to be in a joyful state. Is this what achievement feels like?
Thank goodness for editors that know how to cut out the parts that don’t need to be seen.
Overall the work is still in progress – it needs to be combined, curated and exhibited. Shared with the public locally and globally. The book to be edited, designed and published. The video programmed. The website updated. And the soundtrack?
We see what lies ahead in addition to our daily way. Who knows what’s next? All I can state is that it’s paperless.
It’s taken me a year to break my habits. To lighten my load. To leap into another foreign adventure. To stop taking cards.
Can I create without a pen and ink? Can I paint with a screen? Can I dream in augmented reality? Let’s see …
At the very least – happy birthday to me.
