Thursday, December 13, 2012

Improbable Monument




Introduction: Whether or not the bigwigs in Hollywood like it or not, the internet provides pop culture. 4chan is a notorious image board that is constantly turning out pop culture since its inception. While society mostly holds 4chan as the dregs of the internet and society but for those who understand what 4chan has really come to stand for, the website is a haven for the “freethinkers”.

Background: Juxtaposition of text and images will always prevail as means of communication. In the the early years of the internet image boards provided a space for such things usually based on a subject. 4Chan was originally inspired by a Japanese image board. 4Chan has now gathered a long history of insanity. A consistent source of memes, 4chan manages to draw public attention. Being a sub -pop culture memes often don't find their way into the public spear. Despite this the internet sub culture still has a huge effect on society at large.

Project Description: This monument would celebrate the randomness of 4chan in true style. A large screen (at least twice the height of an average viewer) would be mounted in a concave fashion. This create a completely enveloping experience for the viewer by completely surrounding the perceptual vision. Individual posts (text and images) would be pulled at random and displayed in a collage like fashion. The screen would be constantly changing, not quite enough time for a viewer to read the text on a post. Ideally this would be a uncensored presentation of text and images from the site. While 4chan itself has no physical location, a infamous events that started on 4chan does. Anonymous (a hive like group associated with 4chan) actions against the Church of Scientology (called Project Chronology) which exploded in the media and became world wide protests. These protests were characterized by 4chan and other internet memes. Such as the use of Guy Fawkes mask used to represent the Anon. Thus I chose the Church of Scientology (particularly the Los Angles location). The screen would be stretched from the left and right wings of the building below the Hollywood style Scientology sign. This monument would very improbable starting with the location being a private building owned by an organization that is vitally at war with the Anon and 4chan. There is also the possibility of public indecency or the equivalent for inappropriate images and language that commonplace on 4chan.

Benefits: Would provide the public a glimpse of what 4chan really is. The importance of 4chan's deep interest and research into important matters that the public should know and take an interest in. But also the application of memes and the internet on popular culture.
Estimated Costs: A number of materials might be available for this project. One such might be flexable LED screens often used in stage performance works. The building is approximately 8 stories tall and at ten feet per story that's 80 feet. The flex LED comes in 19 by 19 inch squares, that's 49 squares per 80 feet tall. To make things simple a square of screens could be done, for a total of 2400 LED squares. At USD 2500 a screen times 2400 screens that's USD 6,000,000 without shipping, tax or assembly. Another possibility is a projector add on designed for domes, the Newtonian 2 runs 3, 685 plus 190 for domestic shipping and a case would be an additional 3,000 plus 190 shipping. This doesn't include the projector would start at a few thousand. A 60 by 40 foot screen cost about 800 USD, so a screen of 80 feet would start at 1000 USD at least. One last technology would a fish eye lens for a projector. A Hemistar lens could run from 6,500 to 13,000 depending on focal length.

Timeline of Tasks: Program would be designed and tested to put random images from 4chan, in real time. Screen and projector tested on approximate conditions to replicate the building. Application of Projection screen or LED screen to Scientology building. Then setting up of projector or hooking up of a computer that would run the 4chan “Randomology” Program.  

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