------------------------------------------------------ 

A social-engagement project with Digital Artist Residency and Museum of Oxford. 

 

The project culminated in a exhibition and event at Oxford Town Hall in April 2018. Below are some images of the map for Augmented Reality walk; performance by Ivor Wanderlust; artist talk by Andy Abbott; install shots. 

Following a succesful Wall Whispering expedition of Oxford (scroll down for archive), myself and Ivor Wanderlust are keen to continue our Urban Explorations via your favourite buildings. Please use the form and map below to make suggestions for where we might go next. This time it could be anywhere in the world. As Ivor is based in Whatstandwell anywhere covered by a Derbyshire Wayfarer day rover ticket will be given priority. 

Click the icon in top right of map to 'view larger map' and follow instructions to edit and add your place. 

My name is Andy Abbott. As part of my Digital Artist Residency for Oxford Museum’s ‘Urban Art’ exhibition I will be working with Ivor Wanderlust to explore the city. Ivor lives in an isolated part of the Northern England and generally refuses to engage with society unless he sees a good reason. 

 

He’s asked me for some materials so that he can get a sense of Oxford before visiting. I’ve begun by taking some photographs using a 360 camera which will help give him the most immersive experience of the place without having to visit. 

 

 

Ivor’s unique talent is as a ‘wall whisperer’. He has a rare ability, passed through generations of his family, to hear what walls and buildings want to say. He tells me that all architecture has a story to tell and these tales can be revealed if you know how to tune in at the correct frequency. 

 

Sometimes they talk of the things they see or have seen: important moments in history, everyday events, or regular passers-by they wish to reach out to. Sometimes they have witnessed things no one would believe. Occasionally they communicate what they wish the world around them could be like. Sometimes they just make jokes. Wall’s are funny, Ivor tells me. 

 

As well as the photographs Ivor has asked me to talk to the people of Oxford in case they’ve heard what the walls talk about. The first stage in ‘tuning in’ is to have a guess at what they might say. In most cases even novice wall whisperers are close. 

 

So, people of Oxford, lend Ivor your ears. Have you got a favourite building, wall or piece of architecture? What do you think it would say if it could talk and broadcast a message to the world? In weeks to come Ivor will use your suggestions to begin his explorations of Oxford. 

 

Either leave a comment below or send your thoughts by email using the form below. 

With help from the people of Oxford - in particular the Searchers, Creative Writers, and Arts groups at Museum of Oxford - Ivor Wanderlust and I were able to embark on our first Wall Whispering Walk of Oxford using the map below. Huge thanks to everyone who has contributed.  

Ivor is now looking forward to debuting his poem 'Oxford: What The Walls Say' in full at the exhibition launch at The Gallery, Museum of Oxford on Thurs April 5th 5:30 - 6:30pm.