Tim Leary s wonderful garden in Beverly Hills in 1991 and 1995. What a philosopher ! What a place! We are so happy to stay in his house when we are in L.A.
He wrote an article on multimedia including Station Rose, which can be found here. Timothy is the biggest star.
TIMOTHY LEARY COMMUNICATIONS
.
1991
TO: Station Rose Hypermedia;
Elisa Rose and Gary Danner
FROM: Timothy Leary
SUBJECT: Research on Virtual Realities: the Role of Multi-MediaArtists
The most exciting and promising area of research & development in the electronic-computer field is "Virtual Realities."
What are VR´s?
VR´s refer to the design, the creation of electronic patterns to express/communicate images/thoughts.
These patterns may be sounds, words, icons, graphix, full-motion-video, animated visuals.
These patterns may be digitized simulations of material realities or they can be electronic fabrications-innovations-visions.
All of these multi-media images can be transmitted at light-speed to others who have the appropriate receivers or screens.
It is generally agreed that there are four (4) dimensions of Electronic (Virtual) Realities:
1-D Audio; Top-Down Mass-Media Radio, Recordings & The Individual Ear-Phone.
2-D Visual; Top-Down Mass-Media Films/TV & The Individual Computer or video-game machine.
3-D Visual; Top-Down Air Force/ Arcade Simulations & The Indiviadual 3-D VR´s Construction Kit; JPL, U.Wash. HIT Lab; Autodesk; Sense8
The current "buzzword" which is sweeping Japanese and California electronic-markets is MULTIMEDIA-INTERACTIVE. This ambigously refers:
1. To the fabrication by VR engineers of top-down electronic environments on 2-D Flat-Screens or 3-D Binocular-Depth-Screens which react (not-interact) with the performer, and...
2. To the co-fabrication by Inter-Viduals of personal electronic environment-fields on 2-D flat-screens or 3-D (binocular depth) screens. Humans and machines "react". Only two or more humans can "Inter-Act". The point is that machines cannot perform as "actors". the familiar 1-D telephone is an electronic device which allows two individuals to Inter-Act.
In the very near future humans will be communicating and Inter-Acting using multi-media electronic appliances. Just as we must be talkers to tele-phone, and writers to send lettered words so we must be able to fashion-create multi-media messages to be literate citizens of the 21st century.
To put it simply- the function of the human being in the Electronic future is to be a multi-media artist-creator.
There are two important preparatory steps:
1. A new multi-media electronic language will be developed. This requires audio-visual artists and linguists. This language will be global and it will lessen the barriers of language, nationalism, religion, class.
2. New audio-visual methods will emerge. This, again, requires artists, editors, stylists.
SUMMARY: Our engineers, programmers, scientists have given our species the technology to think and communicate in multi-media electronic forms.
The next stages involve popularizing, personalizing, humanizing electronics. This will require the dedication of creative artists. Elisa Rose and Gary Danner of Station Rose have won an international reputation for their pioneering work in this important field.