The idea of connection and interaction is one that I would like to take further, however moving away from an interactive piece for now. For now I simply want to focus on the concept rather than the final display of the piece. Creating a finished interactive app would be very time consuming and at this stage of development I would rather see the concept itself being developed.
Observing Islands -
Obviously inspired by my time on islands this project will be using them as a source of research for connections. There is also a very satisfying clarity with islands, its very clear where the borders of an island are. The connections between islands are physical connections, the crossing of water, while the internal events are contained within the island, trapped by the shoreline. This makes them a very useful object to observe making connections, as well as the connectins made between the inhabitants.
Connecting Islands -
My initial thought are of the connections made across islands. This is something that humans have done for thousands of years in one way or another. By traveling from island to island information is spread, and so a sort of one way connection is made. By sending someone back to the original island a two way connection can be made, information can be sent back and forth. This can be seen in the culture that spread through the scotlands islands long before established trade routes.
Standing stones dating back to 1500 BC scatter the bleak moor land of the remote islands. Little is known about them but there are many speculations from navigation to building structures. What is observable is that these stone monoliths were raised over a huge number of islands. Something connected the islands, possible over hundreds of years to create a network of standing stones.
Different Connections -
As technology developed so did the types of connections between islands. Fishing boats, trade ships and ferries connected even the remotest islands. Resources, people and information could be shared across the islands. One example would be the spread of religion. Christianity was such a huge part of island life, the small village that I live in at one point contained three churches. Eventually the connections were made through radio waves and underwater cables. Nowadays television, phones and the internet connect the islands instantly. A resent development on the island I come from intruduced fibre optic broadband, presenting the next evolution of connection.
(Cable Laying Vessel)