1215.Today NEW Artwork | HistoLyrical Online 7 June 2017

1215Today_MagnaCartaNews from the digital culture website 1215.Today about its latest commissioned artwork. HistoLyrical released on http://1215today.com/histolyrical-artwork/ today (7 June at 12-noon). The site has an interview with the artists, Ben Peppiatt and Stephanie Bickford-Smith, about their online work that developed from asking young people “is the hysteria of social media compromising freedom of thought?” HistoLyrical explores how social media influences people’s thought processes through subliminal messages.

Histolyrical-image-from-AnnJonesThe online experience is described as taking viewers on a very different kind of train journey. Gazing out of a train window and lulled by a trance-enducing soundtrack, our thoughts are interrupted, hijacked by the random thoughts and ruminations of others by a stream of words layered over our view. We are given the choice to abandon ourselves to these random musings or take control and banish them with a click of a button.’ The artists feel that Social media sites are super efficient platforms that aid connectivity and information exposure. Increasingly they are becoming our gateway to the internet. However these sites are designed for consumption rather than contemplation, with HistoLyrical we are interested in questioning the impact this has upon our ability to think and process information coherently and what a more contemplative solution inspired by offline behaviours could look like.” Continue reading

Magna Carta 800th Anniversary | Original document in Lincoln (UK)

magna-carta-web-215 June 2015 is the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta.  There are four original documents of Magna Carta, which were sealed by King John in 1215, and one is in LINCOLN.  ‘The Great Charter’ agreed the rule of law applied to all and recognised civil liberties. Visit Lincoln said the city is ‘the only place in the world where you can find an original copy of Magna Carta together with the Charter of the Forest … The two charters belong to Lincoln Cathedral and are housed in Lincoln Castle.’  A new visitor centre at the castle, events and public lectures will celebrate Lincoln Cathedral’s Magna Carta. More on the Magna Carta 800th Anniversary website.

magna-carta-vault-LincolnCastleAs part of the Great Magna Carta Weekend, on 13 June the University of Lincoln and Lincoln BIG hosted the Freedom Festival.  Then on Sunday (14 June) at Lincoln Castle was the launch of a digital platform 1215.Today exploring the global significance of the Magna Carta through Art.  It is a 2-year collaborative initiative led by the University of Lincoln with regional art organisations, schools, businesses, City and County councils. Continue reading