Reading Digital Literature: American-German Conference Brown University | October 4 - 7, 2007 | Roberto_Simanowski /at/ Brown [.] edu All events are open to the public. Before Letters: After Words exhibition, opening with reception Thursday, Oct. 4 20:00-21:00 List Arts Center* Preview Night: Before Letters public screening of digital literature (pieces discussed at conference) Friday, Oct. 5 19:00-20:00 Smith-Buonanno** Rereading the Screen: After Words writing performances of digital literature Saturday, Oct 6 20:30-22:00 Smith-Buonanno** Exhibition Before Letters: After Words Text Curtain (2005) by Daniel Howe text.curtain explores relationships between poetic text and ludic play via an interactively evolving recombinant text. Projected on a wall-size screen, text.curtain presents a physics-based ‘spring-mass’ interface that organically responds to the interactions of multiple simultaneous users. As the piece is disrupted and letters wash back and forth, a granular synthesis engine provides realtime aural feedback. Tension is created through the simultaneous desire of users to both disrupt the existing text via 'play' and to ‘read’ the piece as it evolves and recombines in response. Translation by John Cayley translation investigates iterative, procedural 'movement' from one language to another. The series of pieces John Cayley now calls “translation” developed from the earlier but still quite recent “overboard” (see description in interfictions.org). All these pieces are, in one sense, examples of literal art in digital media that demonstrate an 'ambient' time-based poetics. For this we pray by Aya Karpinska Inspired by the tradition of lighting candles during prayer, for this we pray combines the experience of reflection with the everyday world of the hyper-digital generation. Holding one of several RFID prayer cards close to a wall-mounted "shrine" turns a light on. As more prayers are "read" the shrine will fill with light. Public Screening Before Letters S.T.A.L.K.E.R ( description) Facade ( description) edinburgh/demon ( description) Public Reading After Words John Cayley Bio Roxanne Carter will perform: (tbc) Bio: clumsy in high heels, but elegant in the water and online (like swans. swans are so dashing and debonair online). Roxanne is interested in accessible, everyday materials and as well as superstars and you may visit her at persephassa.com Justin Katko will perform: 'Names in Lights' Bio Aja Karpinska will perform: 'letter by letter' Bio Chris Mendoza will perform from: 'Every Word I Saved' Bio: matadata.com Linnea Ogden will perform from: 'Sestina Machina' Bio: rednoise.org/e-writing/sketches/Linnea_Midterm Braxton Soderman will perform: (tbc) Bio: Ph.D. candidate in the Modern Culture and Media Department at Brown University. Before coming to Brown Braxton completed a MFA in Writing at the California Institute of the Arts where he participated in the Integrated Media Program. He is beginning work on his dissertation involving digital aesthetics and politics. A selection of academic and creative work can be found at thefollowingphrases.com *List Art Center: Lobby, 64 College Street **Smith-Buonanno: Room 106, Meeting Street