Mariah is an augmented reality app that narrates stories of historical injustice. A special version created for Letterform Archive's "Strikethrough: Typographic Messages of Protest" exhibition prompts visitors to San Francisco area sites of protest to learn about objects in the gallery and the history of other local movements. Viewers can download the iPhone app, then pick up a paper map at Letterform Archive or use the digital map. Locations are marked with custom stencils that utilize the Strikethrough typeface. The stencils are applied at each location with sidewalk spray chalk that fades with time. When a viewer points their phone at the stencil, the physical environment is augmented with audio, video, and images of historic protest.
The Mariah app is co-created by artists Adam DelMarcelle and Heather Snyder Quinn.
Strikethrough: Typographic Messages of Protest is co-curated by Stephen Coles/Letterform Archive and Silas Munro/Polymode Studios.
LOCATIONS INCLUDE:
BLM: Black Lives Matter march across the Golden Gate Bridge, 2020
IOAT: Indians of all tribes, Occupation of Alcatrez, 1969-71
MARIAH: War on drugs at Civic Center and the Tenderloin, 2022
MILK: Harvey Milk memorial march on Castro and Market Streets, 1979
STRIKE: Shipyard worker strikes near the Bethlehem Steel building, 1941
FREE SPEECH: Student protests and poster printing on the Berkeley campus, 1960s
PANTHERS: Central HQ of the Black Panthers in West Oakland, 1967-71
OCCUPY: Shutdown of Oakland Port by Occupy movement for economic equality, 2011
LINKS:
:: Mariah app in the Exhibition
:: Mariah across the Bay Area, Map/Guide
:: Download the app
THANK YOU
Thank you to co-curators Stephen Coles (Stewf) at Letterform Archive and Silas Munro at Polymode Studios for making this a reality. This project is named for Mariah Lotti. She died of an overdose on July 11, 2011. Mariah was nineteen years old. Thank you to Rhonda Lotti for your on-going support of this work.
CREDITS/SUPPORT
Developer: Flor Salatino
Typefaces: Equals by Tré Seals of Vocal Type and Polymode Sans by XYZ Type
Support: Washington University in St Louis, DePaul University, Wilson College
- Artist, Co-creator
- Adam DelMarcelle
- Artist, Co-creator
- Heather Snyder Quinn
- Co-Curator
- Silas Munro/Polymode Studio
- Co-Curator
- Stephen Coles/Letterform Archive
- Developer
- Flor Salatino
- Reel Creation, Letterform Archive
- Elise Carlton
Project link
