Sometime around the late 00’s, in certain forward-thinking pockets of the world, a spattering of progressive fitness gyms sprang up that implemented a renewable energy programs. These would eventually make the make your workout make electricity. It was the quintessential “how-the-hell-didn’t-we-think-of-that-before” moment, if there ever was one. And it worked. It was all fine and dandy, and genuinely exciting. But there was a problem: it was exclusive. Those gyms, naturally, were “members-only” programs, which in turn took the chance of getting in a good sweat while enriching the power grid away from non-members. The smart people at The Great Outdoor Gym Company didn’t think that a fair distribution of power (no pun intended), and launched the worlds first people-power generating, outdoor gym.

At some point or another, everyone has dreamt of living the Rockstar lifestyle. We’re not talking about shredding licks in front of an audience of thousands or belting out soaring ballads to swooning fans. We’re talking about the “life style”. We’re talking about trashing hotel rooms. We’re talking running from droves of groupies. We’re talking about evading the law for whatever unruly things you did after last night’s concert. We’re talking, history-making, moral-challenging, hangover-inducing rockstar antics. Y’know, the good stuff.

What is a web without context? We’ve all held the belief that the Internet is a place where words give the trillions of images we seek out, context and weight. But by this measure, are the images themselves devalued as entities on their own accord? Former Google Creative Lab Creative Director Ji Lee wanted to test that idea out and created Wordless Web: a browser plug-in that eliminates text from any website you’d visit.

The fascinating thing you’re left with, in many cases, is a minimalist aesthetic and the strength of a particular site is dependent on powerful imagery, free of context. And an image without context is an image open to interpretation. The mind is free to travel down myriad avenues of categorization.

While some websites benefit from the application, others reveal their over-reliance on large, garish adverts, turning the site into an electronic billboard, which is none to pleasant, nor interesting to look at.

Wordless Web is an experiment in what truly holds lasting value in the fast-paced age of over-information.


Links to consider:

http://wordlessweb.com/

Summer nears. The mercury rises and extracurricular activates begin dusting themselves off, readying for play. But before your senses are overwhelmed with the unctuous mixture of possibility and suntan lotion, consider exercise. No, not just because you’ll be harshly judged by beach goers and passersby’s when disrobing, but because your exercise may end up powering a film screening series….

…. um, let us explain:

UK-based non-for-profit bike education and advocacy group, Magnificent Revolution have launched their, frankly taxing film series Cycle-In Cinema at Hackney City Farm. We say “taxing” because participants are asked to power the outdoor screening by peddling their bikes, which are connected to generators, subsequently producing electricity. The concept seems like some medieval torture practice, but it’s anything but. The group gives riders and non-riders the chance to enjoy the film and enjoy watching biking teams peddle their way to glory, all while watching some fine film choices.