Hyperrhiz 5
Un escalier est un escalier est un escalier
Victoria Welby
Citation: Welby, Victoria. “Un escalier est un escalier est un escalier.” Hyperrhiz: New Media Cultures, no. 5, 2008. doi:10.20415/hyp/005.g06
Abstract: Un escalier est un escalier est un escalier (A staircase is a staircase is a staircase) is an hypermedia experience borrowing from Gertrude Stein's literary cubism and from Hans Canosa's beautiful film, Conversation(s) with Other Women, as well as from Prague's cubist architecture.
"People are no longer locked away in asylums. Nowadays they found Cubism." -- Pablo Picasso
Un escalier est un escalier est un escalier (A staircase is a staircase is a staircase) is an hypermedia experience borrowing from Gertrude Stein's literary cubism and from Hans Canosa's beautiful film, Conversation(s) with Other Women, as well as from Prague's cubist architecture (the staircase is the one from the Cubism Museum in Prague).
As one clicks on the steps, texts appear on the screen, unveiling the story of three characters: a woman and a man crossing paths as they climb the stairs, and a bystander. The piece offers different points of view, each one with its own perspective, outcome, actions, consequences. These points of view are often contradictory in and of themselves, as well as in regard to one another, therefore actualizing many possible — and conflicting — aspects of the same storyline.
In order to appreciate the work, you will need FlashPlayer and sound. For those who like their story well ordered, an order — quite relative — can be attained by beginning at the bottom of the staircase and moving up.
Credits
The music is My Morning Sad Song, taken from Jéranium's album Near You. All rights reserved. Thanks to Aya Karpinska for her suggestions with the English version of this work.