Synchroni-cities

http://synchroni-cities.net

As part of A.P.D.C. audience participation test beds initiative we have introduced “SYNCHRONI-CITIES” project. It brings forth the diversity and cultural specificity of different European spaces. It is based on the idea of cultural exploration, dialogue and simultaneity.

The game is shaped as a simultaneous urban exploration quest based on the idea of creating “synonymous places” (different locations in different cities/countries that have a common definition: the same trail leads to them). It takes place in the real world and the internet. A mixed-reality platform will be developed in order to allow artists and the general public to explore and share cultural aspects of the European urban space. Thus, it gives the artists and communities the opportunity to engage in an intercultural dialogue that simultaneously stresses upon identity and alterity.

The concept: “A trail can lead to many places. Places a given trail leads to define a multiplace.”

We generally assume maps guide us from where ever we are to where we want to go. When using a map we repeatedly match the map’s clues (corners, street names, etc.) against reality and the road to our destination is a trail of clues we successfully matched against points of reality. If we don’t know our destination, the map (the clue set) and the process of using the map (the matching process) validate the place at the end of our journey and make us recognize it as the point we wanted to get to. We define such a place as “the place our trail leads us to.” This definition is as valid as our judgement, our clues and our reality. If any of these conditions are offset we wind up in different places every time we use the same map. Then we have a set of places that are synonymous, because they have the same definition: the same trail leads us to them.

The project was initiated by A.P.D.C. core partner from Cluj (Romania) AltArt Foundation which promotes innovative forms of art based on new technologies and contributes to the development of effective policies aimed at cultural development. Through its activities the foundation supports the cultural community in Romania to synchronize to trends in contemporary arts throughout Europe and promotes an innovative approach of the arts from both artists and audiences.