Ricepaper Collective

(Via email from Ren)

The plan for the cover:

RP 14.3 SPACE : CULTURE : PLACE

"the cover will be a photograph of small objects arranged in three groups. each group is differentiated by colour. the three colours represent the three main conceptual components of this issue's theme; space : culture : place.

with regard to understanding/representing "culture" the tripartite relationship of space : culture : place can be understood as a ratio. this is why the three components are represented with a colon dividing them.

since this publication is composed of written work about culture, each composition can thus be measured according to the ratio, albeit subjectively. for example, jim's article about d'arcy island can be thought of as; 25 parts space : 25 parts culture : 50 parts place

for this we will need editorial* help.

these ratios can be visualized according to a pie chart. they can also be visualized according to the specific objects that we've chosen to represent each article. for example, a model of a small island might be used for jim's article. a chrysanthimum for fiona and ray's Q&A. a quill pen with a daggar for a tip for ginger's personalized historical almanac. etc. (note: three objects per article will be chosen, giving us a diversity of little objects combined in a well-textured visual).

all of these small objects will be assembled and photographed in an aesthetically appropriate environment. each object will be labelled with a place name in canada; a distribution city.

each object will be mailed to our distribution locations across canada, and hidden and/or safely kept there. our readers will be encouraged to find each object in an open call -- indicated on the front or back cover.

we will need to contact people in each location in order to effect this. we will use our personal contacts, and are hoping to use the wider list of subscribers and/or distributors.

for this part, we'll need administrative** help.

the person hiding each object will give us the exact location. we hope to have these objects "kept at the desk" at certain institutions like libraries or museums that relate to the articles, or to be placed in areas of mixed-heritage. the reason for this is to encourage our readers to use the cover, and the issue, as a means to discover the place around them.

each object is a "prize" in itself, but each object will also have an objective for the seeker/finder/winner. for instance; one might be a free subscription. another might be an invitation to use the object in an artwork or story to be used in the next issue. one might be a fortune; "you're a loser because you live in manitoba". the point is to create a kind of relationship with a person out there, perhaps as a way of fishing for contributors and supporters.

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notes:

*we are hoping to get our writers to give a subjective ratio measurement of their writing. can each writer/contributor be asked to provide this very subjective measurement? the reason why we'd like to do this is twofold:

1) we are going to use this measurement as a way to create dialogue with our readers about each article. ideally, writers and readers, and readers and readers can exchange their ideas about the ratios and topics on the ricepaper blog. we are assuming that our writers are willing to blog about what they've written in print. if this assumption is not correct, no big deal. they needn't blog at all. but at least, can they provide a ratio, because;

2) we plan to use this measurement as a means to create a navigational structure within the magazine pages, such that a reader can view what element of culture they want to read about by looking at it's visual representation as a pie chart ratio.

**feasibility, contacts, ideas are needed."