The Oracle @ Wifi is a performance art project and collaboration between me the artist, Beth Lilly, and members of the public. I created a system of divination using my cell phone camera and offered my services as an oracle. The idea was that people from anywhere in the world could call me and I could make photographs for them on the spot and email back to them.
In my system, the photographs I took would contain the answer to their question. Instead of working with historically determined meanings assigned to static images like in the Tarot or the I Ching, we were free to look at the objects and actions of our contemporary society and discover the symbology have come to possess.
Two requirements were critical to the project. Callers were required to keep their question secret from me until after I had composed and emailed three images to them. Second, wherever I was at the time of their call had to be the starting location for the three photographs I would make for them. After they replied to my email and revealed their question, callers they were invited to partake in a dialogue about possible interpretations of the imagery.
Beginning March 7 2006, I took calls on the 7th day of each month, just like the original Oracle at Delphi, and gave my last readings April 2009. I promoted the project by email word of mouth and within 3 months, the majority of the callers were strangers to me. In the end, I had callers from multiple countries in Europe and North America.
Posted here on this website is an archive of every reading I performed, grouped chronologically by month and a portfolio for a quick glimpse of readings. I also conducted readings for the Athens Georgia community in conjunction with an exhibit at the Athens Institue for Contemporary Art and another in Atlanta for the Georgia Museum of Contemporary Art - you can find these readins under "Events". I continue to do readings periodically - check the website for dates or join the email list and I'll send you announcements.
NEXT ORACLE READINGS - OCTOBER 7 2010
As part of "Atlanta Celebrates Photography, I'll be taking calls on
October 7 from 9am to 7pm or dark(whichever comes first)
If you want an email reminder one week and one day prior, add yourself to my mailing list
