(film, installation)
Collaboration with Bryan Kerr
- Installed at Corsica Studios, June 5th 2021.
An AI narrator, created from the speech and written words of the artists, conducts a walk through a strange amalgam of Paisley and Southwark; ruminating as it goes on the landscape, the struggles of the Left, Robert Tannahill, canals, barriers, the 1926 General Strike and much more.
The AI algorithm takes on meaning from past learned behaviours, weighting the connections depending on the perceived mood of the words for each location. Multiple probabilities of narrative are tested until a dominant narrative emerges and is converted to speech, lyrically articulating the paths taken.
“Determination resonating from the intent to rally when they needed it and stand before they hide. Backing the worker through thick and thin, defending their rights when they were pushed aside.
“Gonna live what we already know,
Gonna live through these attempts,
We're not going nowhere,
But we still find something to believe in.”
And in some small part of us we know that it must prevail. The history books are marked with the victory of the General Strike, though it was harder than struggle is now for us. We say the soaring of democracy, the downfall of tyrants. Hold fast to our flag, but hold fast this time
And not forever,
That’s all we can do.
History repeats itself, falling short we are a century later.
It was the only way out of economic misery. In their second time against exploitation, these people did not expect victory. These closed views I refuse.
Some move to more upmarket, modernised high streets, instead. But others are finding the change liberating; and are using it to create something better. This place is an example.It used to be old-fashioned and narrow. Now it's well laid out and wide. Even so, the centre's been prone to feeling cramped and claustrophobic at times, but what happened just now brought me up a little”