Causeway is an interactive poetry app and performance written by Vincent Cellucci with audio by Jesse Allison and visuals by Derick Ostrenko. Originally a part of Cellucci's book, An Easy Place / To Die, the poem "Causeway" was inspired by events following Hurricane Katrina. The piece can be experienced as a performance or by itself as a mobile application. When Causeway is put on as a performance Cellucci reads the poem aloud while audience members interact by tapping phrases from the poem on their mobile devices to collectively transform visuals displayed on a large projection. Each tap produces a sonic echo taken from Cellucci's voice and causes his words to ripple through the theater. As an application this experience is containerized on the mobile device so that many users over time contribute to an ongoing visualization.
Audio by Jesse Allison
Jesse Allison is a leader in sonic art technology, thought, and practice. Dr. Allison holds the position of Assistant Professor of Experiment Music & Digital Media at Louisiana State University. As part of the Cultural Computing focus of the Center for Computation & Technology, he performs research into ways that technology can expand what is possible in the sonic arts. Prior to coming to LSU, he helped to found the Institute for Digital Intermedia Art at Ball State University. Email: [email protected]. Website: allisonic.com.
Words by Vincent A. Cellucci
Vincent A. Cellucci is a writer and the College of Art + Design’s Communication across the Curriculum Studio Coordinator at Louisiana State University. He specializes in poetry, 3D scanning and printing, digital documentation, portfolio development, and teaching and writing in the art and design disciplines. Vincent received his MFA from Louisiana State University and he attended Loyola University New Orleans to earn his Bachelor's degree in English Writing with a background in studio arts by cross-enrolling at Tulane University. Email: [email protected]. Website: vincentacellucci.com.
Visuals by Derick Ostrenko
Frederick "Derick" Ostrenko is a media artist and creates physical and virtual systems that examine the intersections of media, culture, and technology. He employs custom hardware and software that use various interfaces such as mobile applications, brain waves, generative visualizations, video processing, animation, and games. His research focuses on pushing art and technology to reveal hidden networks between people by creating structures for innovative forms of expression and discovery. Email: [email protected]. Website: frederickostrenk.com.
You can try out Causeway by navigating your mobile device to emdm.io/m and browser window to emdm.io/t or if you want to experience everything in browser click the button below. Causeway is a 2 screen experience. The browser view is a visualization of the interaction on your mobile device.
Start Causeway