“The future is now Old Man!”, he said to himself.
Official Website: http://chicago1893.com
Documentary Film: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08JCPFJ54
Paperback/ebook/audiobook: https://amazon.com/dp/1082413585
Merchandise: https://teespring.com/stores/1893-chi…
Soundtrack: https://chicago1893.bandcamp.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chicago.1893
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Chicago_1893
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chicago.1893
On May 1st 1893, President Grover Cleveland opened the Columbian Exposition on the shoreline of Lake Michigan in Jackson Park on the south side of Chicago. No matter how strong our sense of nostalgia is, the past is gone. But what if we could bring pieces of it into the present?
On the 129th anniversary of that opening, we released the first views of Chicago 1893’s augmented reality experience. Chicago 1893 has been working for the last year to do just that by recreating the largest buildings from the event that were originally located around the Grand Basin. This project aims to create museum-like digital assets focused on historical integrity and architecture with the intention of expanding broadly toward experiences focused on learning and richer functionality for entertainment.
These structures are being rendered in 1:1 scale. The goal is to allow people to perceive the scope of the buildings the way those in 1893 did, if sculptures loomed from 100 feet above they will within augmented reality as well. Just imagine: classical architecture, anywhere in the world — No matter where!
Ever since HG Wells published “The Time Machine” people have been fascinated with the idea of time travel — the Chicago 1893 XR project begs the question: “what if you could bring the past to back life?”
The Columbian Exposition is arguably the most notable World’s Fair of all time but very little of its architectural legacy remains. Over the last four years we have been diligently scouring archives to compile the documentation required to render the buildings in digital 3D for augmented reality which were created by some of the finest architects of the Gilded Age.
Now we are in the final stages of Phase 1’s buildout which includes the major structures located around the Grand Basin. The plan is to make the first asset available to the public this summer. It will be the Administration Building, a Beaux-Arts structure designed by architect Richard Morris Hunt who is also responsible for the entrance facade of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City and the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty.
You can expect more details as we approach this initial release.
Join us and see the Columbian Exposition come back to life.
Documentary Film: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08JCPFJ54
Book: https://amazon.com/dp/1082413585
Merch: https://teespring.com/stores/1893-chicago-columbian-expo
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chicago.1893
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Chicago_1893
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chicago.1893
Ten years ago, back in July 2011, we transitioned from a website called Mystic Music Archive to PortFire here. The Mystic Music Archive was a repository we created for some local Mystic and New London, Connecticut music from the 80s, 90s, and new releases.
To progress beyond just music – to expand to all the diverse artists inspiring us – we moved all of the albums and songs over to a new site – named PortFire after “the fuze or torch that lights rockets and fireworks” (yeah, a bit ambitious!) – and aimed to also begin including photography, writing, visual arts (especially collage), and new music from beyond just southeastern Connecticut.
We organized and worked to expand PortFire as a free zone for artists to post their recent work, following the DIY ethos of Hozomeen Press and other zines like Root of Twinkle from the 80s and 90s; but our campaign to expand eventually fell flat and only a few dedicated artists, especially Michelle Gemma, and Ellery Twining, published prodigiously to our free platform.
As an architect and editor of PortFire, I certainly wasn’t aggressive nor charismatic enough to smartly ‘market’ PortFire: no ads, no fees, not interested in profits, no baiting for page views, no social media strategies, no gimmicks – just not interested in any of that – which is perhaps to our detriment in many ways – arts and artists benefit from publicity. So please let us know if you have any ideas for us publicizing ourselves in a better way.
We exist for fellow artists to publish and speak and react to each other’s work, so we inspire each other and push each other’s art forward.
We will definitely keep running this site for the artists producing new work and publishing here (I still hope to rejoin those ranks!), as well as to host older music and zines for those who are curious, nostalgic, or want to hear the beautiful 17 Relics, Seratonin, or Low–Beam (and more!) – over ten fabulous independent bands can be found under the Music tab at the top of our site.
So, it really is hard to believe it has been ten years – while reminiscing and looking through the site this past week, I was surprised to rediscover the amount of inspiring content here – check out the right side of our main page, the Artist Collections, Tags, Search Bar, Archives in the lower right, and just feel free to explore – and thank you all so much for contributing and checking in over all these years –
If you’d like to publish your work here, please let us know at editors@portfire.org
Here is the first post that PortFire ever put up, to test the new site, about ten years ago – enjoy!
they arrived, with pitchforks at the ready, to change the vote.
the corporals and captains had an attack planned out.
the floorplan of congress was in our public domain, security forces
had become one and the same- a single moment defined the state of the nation.
an evident display of tribalism amongst a misappropriation of flags,
draped over the Capitol steps- A Confederacy in Process.
their rally preceding insurrection would expose this selfish process,
as if there were no other method to counteract an actual vote.
the assembled crowd who volunteered to be in The District could flag
their inherent abhorrence toward an hidden agenda that they would spell out.
as if this call to arms would create a new nation
of their own making, utilizing their most vicious forces.
citizens of our Televised Nation experienced society in absolute time, the forces
of the tribe gathered had stormed the steps, their process
exhorted over bullhorns to a crowd expecting direction toward a re-born nation.
multitudes of volunteers worked to secure the vote,
people who poured over information, and disinformation to out
an heist of objective political reality, each represented by brandished flag.
it was an aggrieved display, and desecration of the flag
would be rendered as treasonous sedition. the boat parade that forces
the vessels upon our river evacuated; instructed to stay out.
a distinct attempt at security while the process
of their gathering threatened to call in to question the vote.
each citizen would need to declare their confirmation of the nation.
confrontation within the myth of the American nation
has always existed, in some form. when people flag
grievances, the irregularity of equality; we are told to vote
despite the evidence of corruption, which forces
a re-examination of the entire process,
wherein the point of completion leaves no one out.
as it’s initial momentum, stunted by Capitol Police faded out,
an assassination plot never materialized in the Nations
Capitol. The Peoples House; a building that affords the process
of the improbable to be occasionally attainable, where intruders would flag
The Capitol with propaganda, and untruth, in an attempt to force
A Cancellation of America. as if all citizens might forget the power of the vote.
surrounded by symbols of the nation- the staffed flag
and the wooden gavel, congressional members would return that night, to force
a delineation- one person, one vote.
Michelle Gemma has just scanned in the next Root of Twinkle! This edition contains “soundtracks, essays, stories, lullabies, and an ‘interview’ pour vous.” There is a LOT in this 1995 issue, including a lengthy interview with Rich Freitas and Rich Martin together at Bee Bee Dairy, including a Dawn Estabrooks cameo.
You can check out the other Root of Twinkles from the early 90s, including the new 2020 copy, in the Root of Twinkle section (a link is up top right as well)
NOTE: We are looking furiously for Volume 2 Issue 1 and ANY Volume 1 issues – if you have a copy PLEASE get in touch with us — editors@portfire.org — THANKS!
Exploring the National Parks across the United States is an opportunity that should not be taken for granted. To understand the profound notions of preservation and conservation, we must get as close to the land as possible. This album is a seed that is attempting to plant itself in you to see them for your self.
Captured in photographs are views of nine parks around the country with essays that catalogue my experiences and thoughts while traveling through them.
Michelle Gemma has scanned in the next Root of Twinkle, the second issue from 1994!
Peruse this edition for some serious Mystic, CT nostalgia, including notes on the opening of the Emporium Gallery, an interview with the band Magpie, a small list of super elite Mystic Peugeot drivers, top ten lists about Mystic from Matt Hannan, and some fantastic record reviews and recollections —
View the other scanned Root of Twinkles from the early 90s, including the new 2020 copy, in the Root of Twinkle section (a link is up top right as well)
NOTE: We are looking furiously for Volume 2 Issue 1 and ANY Volume 1 issues – if you have a copy PLEASE get in touch with us — editors@portfire.org — THANKS!
all photos by michelle gemma
35mm film that i developed and printed at the greenman collective darkroom at taugwonk spur, and later in the darkroom in my backyard in mystic.
check out the root of twinkle volume 6 issue one summer 2020 here on portfire, plus the back issues to see more photographs of mystic life.
Michelle Gemma has scanned in another historic Root of Twinkle, this one from 1994!
Check it out for some serious Mystic, CT nostalgia — and view the other scanned Root of Twinkles from 1993, including the new 2020 copy, in the Root of Twinkle section (up top right as well)
ROOT!!!!!https://t.co/hYjB53zi8V
— PortFire Posts (@PortFirePosts) October 6, 2020