#rbrtISEA: reallybigroadtrip is on a road to no[w]here

homeJames at Hampton Village near Burra

a ‘where’s wally’ style homeJames at Hampton Village near Burra

  • There are going to be times when we can’t wait for somebody. Now, you’re either on the bus or off the bus. If you’re on the bus, and you get left behind, then you’ll find it again. If you’re off the bus in the first place — then it won’t make a damn.
    • As quoted by Tom Wolfe in The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test (1968)

reallybigroadtrip is an experiment in pretty much everything. Professionally, creatively and personally I live almost entirely fluidly and in the moment. I used to be a Stage Manager and plan everything to the tiniest detail. Then I was a producer or project manager, coordinating superstructures of activities. This streamed more into facilitating, nurturing other peoples’ journeys, troubleshooting & providing techsupport or technoevangelism and helping them define their flow or their structures as required. Now I’m a maker again and find myself craving the unknown in one big literal and metaphorical journey. reallybigroadtrip is a manifestation of that journey.

My work for ISEA2013 has been exploring this process and so, somewhat naturally, the work itself has turned out to be that process.

All aboard!

We invite you to join us over ISEA2013 in a microcosm of the overarching reallybigroadtrip world. We’re so fluid you can even choose one of three forms to connect with us.

1. Public Talk

My Nomad in Residence Kate Chapman and two special guests Brenda L Croft and Cheryl L’Hirondelle will join me in a talk about mapping culture as part of the ISEA2013 public talks program with Vivid Ideas Festival. This is from 10-11.30am at MCA on Saturday 8th June. It costs $15 for general audiences and is free for ISEA2013 Conference Delegates but booking is required.

2. ISEA2013 Conference

Over the three days of the conference 11th-13th June homeJames (my beautiful big red bus) will be parked up on Eastern Avenue at the University of Sydney. Everyone is welcome to just pop along and have a nosey or grab me for an official ‘tour’ (don’t worry, it doesn’t take very long!).

I’ll also be live-tweeting the conference with Elliott Bledsoe and our team using the hashtag #iseeISEA – we really encourage you to share your top tips and experiences!

3. #rbrtISEA is no[w]here

Between 11am to 6pm on Mon 10th, Fri 14th, Sat 15th and Sun 16th June the bus will demonstrate the (inter)national adventure by hosting a mini version. Starting from Paddington we will be driving around Sydney finding locations that just feel like they would be a good place to stop. We will not be using maps, just following our noses and waiting for the place that just feels right. Once the location has been found my Nomad in Residence Kate Chapman and myself will park the bus, put out a couple of chairs and throw on the magnetic signs that indicate we are ‘open for business’. Then we will just see what happens.

Some passers-by will come and ask what we are doing, so we will tell them about reallybigroadtrip and about ISEA2013 and how we want to just meet people and see what happens. Sometimes they will suggest where we go next – we have two spare passenger seats so it’s entirely possible we will take them along with us when we go.

Some ISEA2013 audiences might know we’re doing this and want to come and find us in a random spare moment. We will take an instagram photograph (my account is @feesable) tagging our location so that at any time you can see where we are. If you want you can also message us directly; I’m @feesable and Kate is @wonderchook on Twitter. Be aware that we might be engaged in deep conversations with random strangers so you should let us know that you are coming so that we can hang around long enough to connect with you.

And if we get ‘moved on’… well that’s all just part of the journey, right?

Schedule

OK, that’s a lot of dates and times so here’s a handy chronological diary for you to know how and where you might find us. Or if you happen to see a big red bus parked up be sure to come over and say hello!

Sat 8th, 10-11.30am – public talk on mapping culture at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA).
Mon 10th, 11am-6pm – #rbrtISEA driving around Sydney – see @feesable / @wonderchook for locations.
Tues 11th, 9am-6pm – ISEA2013 conference where you can meet homeJames and I’ll be live-tweeting #iseeISEA.
Weds 12th, 9am-6pm – ISEA2013 conference where you can meet homeJames and I’ll be live-tweeting #iseeISEA.
Thurs 13th, 9am-6pm – ISEA2013 conference where you can meet homeJames and I’ll be live-tweeting #iseeISEA.
Fri 14th, 11am-6pm – #rbrtISEA driving around Sydney – see @feesable / @wonderchook for locations.
Sat 15th, 11am-6pm – #rbrtISEA driving around Sydney – see @feesable / @wonderchook for locations.
Sun 16th, 11am-6pm – #rbrtISEA driving around Sydney – see @feesable / @wonderchook for locations.

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