Category Archives: exhibiting + presenting

showing my work at festivals, conferences, online exhibitions, publications…

Electronic Literature Collection, Vol. 2

The Electronic Literature Collection, Volume 2, launched on the web last week, is an anthology of works by an international group of authors “that pushes through the boundaries of literary forms, creating new kinds of experiences for interacting readers.”  And, I’m delighted to say, it includes two of my works – Fitting the Pattern and Tailspin.

Published by the Electronic Literature Organisation, and edited by Laura Borràs, Talan Memmott, Rita Raley, and Brian Kim Stefans, Volume 2 picks up where the first volume, ELC1, left off.

The new collection includes 63 works drawn from (and extending beyond):

  • Countries: Austria, Australia, Catalonia, Canada, Colombia, France, Germany, Israel, The Netherlands, Portugal, Peru, Spain, UK, US
  • Languages: Catalan, Dutch, English, French, German, Portuguese, Spanish
  • Formats: Flash, Processing, Java, JavaScript, Inform, HTML, C++

Like ELC1, the collection can be browsed by author, title, or keyword.

ELC2 speaks to both the continuity as well as the bright future of electronic literature. The works include many of the emerging categories of e-lit: mash-ups, geolocative, codework, as well as “traditional” and evolving forms such as hypertext, chatbots, and interactive fiction. The authors list presents readers with both veterans and newcomers to the field.

The collection is also available on DVD for free on request from the ELO.

ELC2 is published under a Creative Commons license, which means the collection can be freely shared, non-commercially, between individuals, libraries, and schools, provided that appropriate attribution is maintained and the works are unmodified.

16 February 2011 by crissxross | Also posted in crissxross | Tagged , , , , , | Comments (0)

Underbelly on The Literary Platform

The Literary PlatformMichael Bhaskar, Digital Publishing Manager at Profile Books and one of the judges of the Poole Literary Festival’s New Media Writing Prize, describes my winning entry, Underbelly, as exceptional in his article in The Literary Platform. He goes on to say:

Underbelly is an intense, educational, visceral experience, that delves deep into new media territory and transforms our expectations of what could be called literature. Exploring the experience of women miners in the nineteenth century the look, sound and writing of the piece are all magnificently distinctive and skilfully designed. I learned a lot “reading” and it hung around for days. This is powerful stuff.

He has lots of good things to say about the other shortlisted works too and I would encourage readers to go and explore the whole shortlist.

3 November 2010 by crissxross | Also posted in crissxross | Tagged , , , , | Comments (0)

Underbelly wins New Media Writing Prize

Underbelly

Halloween turned out to be a great night for me! While I was giving a live performance of Underbelly at Inspace in Edinburgh, Underbelly was being awarded the first ever New Media Writing Prize at the Poole Literary Festival in Dorset. My lovely husband, Dane Gould, was there to pick up my prize, which included a brand new iPad! Since I created Underbelly in Flash, I can’t play it on the iPad but it’s ideal for exploring my Underbelly Cabinet of Curios.

Lorenza Samuels won the student New Media Writing Prize with her splendid interactive mystery, Evidence, also created in Flash.

Many thanks to everyone involved with the New Media Writing Prize and Poole Literary Festival 2010.

2 November 2010 by crissxross | Also posted in crissxross | Tagged , , | Comments (6)

Shoes red as wounds

Performing at Inspace and my Underbelly Cabinet of Curios

For my performance of Underbelly in Edinburgh on Halloween at Inspace no one can hear you scream I intend to wear shoes as red as wounds. Why? Because Underbelly is an exploration of women’s bodies in relation to the land – past and present, inside and outside, above and below ground – and shoes, especially red ones, are loaded with associations.

I’m tempted to say more but instead, it might be more fun to point you to my Underbelly Cabinet of Curios. It’s a digital collection of some of the sources, influences and catalysts that gave rise to Underbelly, and a peek at one stage of the process of writing and structuring the piece. Within the cabinet, you’ll also find some connections and contextual curios, creative works by others in other media that struck a chord with me in relation to the themes I explore in Underbelly… and, if you follow the merry dance, the significance of red shoes.

Since I spend so much of time stuck at my desk in front of a computer, I’m really looking forward to stepping out and into performer’s shoes – not least because there’s such a fantastic line-up of other artist-performers at Inspace on Halloween:

48 hours | Inspace no one can hear you scream

Sunday 31st October 2010, 7.30 for 8pm.
Inspace, 1 Crichton Street, Edinburgh EH8 9AB

As part of the third International Conference on Interactive Digital Storytelling, we present an evening of language in digital performance with works by Martin John Callanan, JR Carpenter & Jerome Fletcher, Donna Leishman, Maria Mencia, Netwurker Mez, Stanza and Christine Wilks.

30 October 2010 by crissxross | Also posted in crissxross | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

Underbelly shortlisted for New Media Writing Prize

I am delighted that Underbelly, my latest work of playable media fiction, has been shortlisted for the first New Media Writing Prize 2010 established by the Poole Literary Festival in partnership with the Media School at Bournemouth University – and amongst such great company too:

General Shortlist:

Naomi Alderman – The Winter House

Jim Andrews – On Lionel Kearns

Alan Bigelow – My Summer Vacation

Katharine Norman – Yes Really

Anna Pitt – The O2 Tales

Christine Wilks – Underbelly

Student Shortlist:

Lorenza Samuels – Evidence

Emily Hollingsworth – Anonymous

The short listed entries will be displayed in an interactive gallery at the Lighthouse, Poole’s Centre for the Arts, throughout the festival, from 29th to 31st October.

‘This award is breaking genuinely new ground in looking at how digital technology is transforming written communication. As the first award of its kind globally it will be a landmark in the increasingly exciting arena of new media writing and I am thrilled to be involved.’ Michael Bhaskar, a member of the judging panel.

The judges are: Andy Campbell, Michael Bhaskar, Tracey McGarrigan, Jim Pope, Tim Wright. There is also an interesting New Media Writing Prize blog, discussing the future of the written word, that is well worth a read.

21 October 2010 by crissxross | Also posted in crissxross | Tagged , , | Comments (6)