Your next poem is just a phone call away
If while walking about the Twin Cities you happened upon a sign that says "Lost poem" with a phone number to call, you could be forgiven for thinking it was some sort of joke.
But it's not.
Ring Ring Poetry , according to creator Cole Sarar, "broadcasts" recorded poetry by phone. Each piece was written for specific Twin Cities locations by local poets.
Create a More Connected Minnesota
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Hopefully, the audience goes to those places, phones the number and hears a poem written for the physical space that they stand in. The idea is that the poetry augments and creates an understanding of a space that is deeper, or more lush, or more personal. Additionally, by placing poetry in physical spaces, it too becomes augmented by that experience. Audiences outside of the area can connect with Twin Cities poetry and poets this way, too.
Sarar says her hope is to make poetry immediately available.
I love interactive art, art that takes advantage of technology, art that reminds you of places and people you may not otherwise have interacted with. I've been approached by a number of festivals and events that would like to collaborate and/or use the project for specific installations, which sounds like a blast. I'd like the project to inspire other artists to stretch the definition of how art can be distributed/consumed/created.
You can hear a poem right away by calling (612) 223-POEM, or go to RingRingPoetry.com for more information.