Contribute to the end of “The Typewriter Project: Subconscious of the City”
February 15, 2018 | By: Mary Stucko | casshcommunications@uwf.edu
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Excerpt from The Typewriter Project: Subconscious of the City:
“Welcome, welcome one and all! To Pensacola's subconscious poetic extravaganza experiment.Write what you will which you haven't yet willed Though maybe you’ve dreamed and forgotten. I shall bid you adieu, But B4 I do, I hope you enjoy the features present On this past model from 1962...,”
On Jan. 16, ‘The Typewriter Project: The Subconscious of the City’ made its debut in Pensacola, Fl. According to the project’s website, “The Typewriter Project is a series of site-specific literary installations which invite passersby to join in a citywide poetic exchange that exists in both analog and digital realms.”
During its time in Pensacola, the installation was featured at the West Florida Public Library and UWF John C. Pace Library. It is currently on display at the John C. Pace Library on the UWF Pensacola campus from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. until Feb. 16.
The University of West Florida Department of English has been hosting the installation, in part with the UWF College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities as part of its Experience UWF Downtown Lecture Series.
The Typewriter Project was created by Stephanie Berger and Nicholas Adamski, in partnership with The Poetry Society of New York.
UWF Department of English professor, Dr. Robin Blyn, was responsible for bringing the project to Pensacola. Blyn discovered the installation and wanted to introduce it to the Pensacola community. She has trained her students to manage the installation and guide participants through the project.
According to SubconsciousOfTheCity.com, the project’s website, “The project is largely inspired by the idea of an Exquisite Corpse, a surrealist writing game in which several authors contribute to one poem. The Typewriter Project’s mission is to investigate, document, and preserve the poetic subconscious of the city while providing a fun and interactive means for the public to engage with the written word.”
Engaging in the project allows participants to express themselves and react in a way to build off the ideas of those before them. This empowers reconnection with themselves. The creators suggest that it is a safe space for free thought and expression.
“...no single entry has to be beautiful, profound, or poetic to be able to make an impact...”
- Kailyn Adams, project contributor
Kailyn Adams, an English major, stated, “If I could send a message about the Typewriter Project, it would be that no single entry has to be beautiful, profound, or poetic to be able to make an impact. The project is all about self-expression and Pensacola coming together as a whole. The end result will be profound in itself.”
The creators hint that by partaking in the project, it allows one to stop focusing on saying the right thing and enjoy the current moment. It serves as a reminder to stop worrying and enjoy life. When one observes the entries of others, while building off the Exquisite Corpse concept, it grants oneself the freedom of expression without care of the judgement and opinions of others.
For more information, or to read the project’s transcript in real time, visit https://www.subconsciousofthecity.com
