I spent my last month in Paris creating this. Some experimental literature (more experimental than literary). 32 pages, approximately 90 minutes if done right.
Some sample images follow. The link to the zeroth edition of the PDF, hosted on Google Drive, is at the bottom of the post.
The kind reviews from 2024 are for a very rough draft of Part 3 (Memory). Part 2 deals with Light. Part 1 (Sound) is what I’m sharing here.
Thirteen total such pages (with plenty of embedded links and tangential QR codes to flesh out the tapestry), a visual interlude, and then a personal section that ties it all together. Can be dipped into page by page over time, with plenty of space for breaks and reflection. The rabbit holes are optional, and not all the riddles have answers. Music, writing, visualisations, quotes, questions, art—all optional, I suppose.
Everything has meaning, even if it isn’t always meaningful.
Best experienced on a laptop, on a quiet night when the moon seems prettier and the borders between dimensions feel thinner. A good sound system at hand and a phone nearby.
There isn’t much explicit plot or narrative development, since this isn’t a conventional story (although it does set one up in the background, and concludes another after the interlude). Something along the lines of a trip to Berlin, a diary, a playlist, a magazine, a series of reels, a list of Internet bookmarks, and a college seminar (or two) rolled into one. All scaffolded with marginalia.
A couple of the design elements inside are entirely novel, as far as I’m aware, in case you’re into the little details.
I tried to craft a multimodal musical journey. A (rough, preliminary) proof-of-concept for a form of digital experience I’ve been pursuing.
Link:
Edition Zero PDF [Download Recommended]
Flip through with arrow keys rather than scrolling to benefit from minor stop-motion effects.
If sharing, please use a link to this Substack post rather than a direct link to the file (helps ensure everyone starts at the same page).
Let me know if you catch any errors. This is a beta release.
Music:
The first 13 tracks from this playlist are featured in order. Letting them play through without shuffle and letting the experience keep pace might be helpful. Everything snaps together thanks to the music, not sure the parts stand on their own.
The better the sound the richer your experience.
A complete work of art, as a tribute to a complete work of art.
Remember the white swan :’)