The Arachne’s Information Weave
The overriding idea of the project, the exploration of institutional, private knowledge in the public space of the city, was expressed in the exhibition. The space created emulated the effect of being within a space surrounded by information, which one had to enter and be immersed in. The option was given to the critics, however, to also view the information on the website, via an i-pad, thus giving full control over viewing the image to the viewer. The ‘Arachne’s Information Weave’ is dependent on its use in order for it to grow – thus the question itself was given to the panel; would they immerse themselves physically or digitally? This approach began to look at the future of representation as more people turn to digitalised formats. Within the process the designers engaged with both the physical and digital, these two disciplines beginning to become more and more intertwined. The viewer is being persuaded into an imaginary world by many different forms of representation, but also in many different ways. Therefore, the opportunity to choose between the physical or digital worlds is given once again, this time to the readers, in order to experience ‘The Arachne’s Information Weave’.
www.arachneinformationweave.tumblr.com/ Scan to view digital version if preferred.
The stone edifices of Oxford boast their knowledge, yet all they offer up to the people are detailed façades for the camera lenses to focus on. The Bodleian Libraries claim the information they withhold is too important to be shared with the common people. When Arachne heard of this she decided to disrupt the order of the institution, and planted a bionic structure, known as the ‘Arcahne’s Information Weave,’ in the stone flagstones of the Bodleian courtyard. The seed she planted fed off the knowledge of the Bodleian Libraries, reaching out with wires and weaving through information, scanning the physical literature and converting the knowledge to digital media; consuming and growing. The Information Weave grew larger and larger, pushing through fragile lattice windows and heavy stone walls. The weave of wires produced seed-like pods that displayed the information that was being consumed, making the knowledge of the institution publicly available. The Arcahne’s Information Weave kept developing, offering up the knowledge of Oxford to all, slowly taking institute by institute until Oxford was a mass of wires, electricity and shared knowledge.
Weave shoots emerge from the Bodleian flagstones.
Wire tendrils crawl along the ground and up the walls.
Converting the physical books to digital information.
Filling the Bodleian courtyard, the Weave
searches out more knowledge.
Sharing the knowledge with the people.
The Weave invites people in.
As knowledge is accessed lights flash
along the wires, transferring information.
The Bodleian becomes consumed.
The structure roots deep into the caverns of books held below the surface.
If the books in the Library are read, the weave will not continue to grow.
The old stone buildings become fragmented the more the Information Weave is used.
Seed pods are generated, these are places to sit, to absorb the information the Weave provides.
Formed of a mesh of wires, the seed pods project a panorama of knowledge.
To access the pods, either climb or pull them down.
Creating tension in the wires, causing them to keep growing & consuming.
Until the whole of Oxford is in ruins, and where information is no longer restricted.
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