About Blank

about:blank was written by Adam Wyeth as a piece of writing not wholly definable as poetry, prose or drama. When it was included as an audio performance in Dublin Theatre Festival’s online programme, we were asked to consider how it could be visually accompanied and developed.

In collaboration with Ste Murray, we wanted the visual experience to mirror the work and defy expectations. We began by looking at concrete poetry and considered playing with the conventions of how text is usually read, moving typography around the page as the audio played. The writing itself, rich in imagery from the natural world, directed us towards organic & geographical patterns.

Unlike traditional theatre performances, people were more likely to engage with about:blank alone. To amplify this singular experience we began exploring how the visual experience could be unique to each viewer. A variety of inputs – such as time and location – merged to create distinct outcomes, with colour and graphic patterns evolving and interacting with imagery that reflected the spoken word. Fluctuating contours contort like an ever-changing lava-lamp, layering themselves over a timeline of imagery inspired by the text. This led to the development of a site-responsive, audio-immersive series of interconnected narratives you engage with on your phone. Snapshots of these visuals were captured as a keepsake for each individual viewer – a unique fingerprint in itself.

about:blank is funded by the Arts Council, Abbey Theatre and Poetry Ireland. Developed with the assistance of the Abbey Theatre/Amharclann na Mainistreach. Supported by Civic Theatre, Mermaid Arts Centre, MOLI and Riverbank Arts Centre.