An escape can have various meanings spanning from a transition to a new state or place to breaking free from confinement or control. As citizens of London, we live in a concrete jungle surrounded by movement, noise and regular overcrowding. Coming from Cyprus where my time is spent by the sea, I wanted to find a way to instantly bring the seaside to London. For all those seaside lovers who dread walking down some of the busiest streets of London: what if you were taken on a tour that helped stretch your imagination far enough to perceive Oxford street - one of the major roads in London - as the seaside? Through bringing my seaside rituals to the city, using poetic metaphors and audio seduction, we escape to the seaside, together.
Version 1. Audiovisual tour: This audiovisual tour uses the architecture and space of Oxford street to guide the user - who follows my virtual lead - down the beach. Sound: in collaboration with Greg Dugan.
Version 2. MP3 Tour accompanied by a map: The audio is equivalent to that of the audiovisual tour but broken down into numbered tracks that correspond to numbered locations on the map. This version allows more freedom of perception and unique engagement with each space allowing the user to experience a more personal escape. The MP3 tour establishes a platform that allows more freedom, since escaping is about breaking free. Sound: In collaboration with Greg Dugan
PROCESS
This project involved unpicking my seaside rituals whilst thoroughly investigating Oxford Street spatially. I analysed Oxford Street to find the optimum locations for my tour, allowing the seaside rituals to exist articulately within the urban setting. I tested various locations for each ritual before choosing the most effective space for each. This was determined by how well it could accommodate the seaside ritual poetically and metaphorically.
Seaside ritual: Admiring the wave movement from the sea front.
An example of one seaside ritual and the locations tested for it.
Test location 1: Selfridges food court view.
Test location 2: Boots second floor view.
Test location 3: Benetton second floor view. Selected for the tour - has the most movement beneath.
Foley: reproducing seaside sound effects, enhancing audio quality
Recording voiceover
The higher motive through this project is to allow people to understand that by perceiving things differently, you can create your own reality. It is to enable people in understanding their imaginative capabilities and using them to escape unwanted situations.