To: NEW INC Review Committee, New York, NY
From: Tom Moody
Re: Proposal for NEW INC incubator project
Date: March 10, 2014
Artist and earthworks pioneer Robert Smithson provided the original conceptual framework for the appreciation of "place" as art. In a "site specific" location, the art remains in situ and is visited by gallerygoers. In a "non-site," the artist collects artifacts from the site such as rocks or machinery and transports them into the gallery for display. My proposed SSLAPP app (Site-Specific Locator App) updates Smithson's ideas for the digital age, through the use of mobile devices and harnessing the power of social.
Informally, the SSLAPP app could be described as "Airbnb for Non-Sites." Your incubation funds will enable me to develop this smartphone app, which identifies potential "sites" and "non-sites" for artists, assists in the logistics of documenting these locations (including local procurement of materials, food, and lodging), and provides end-user logistical support for placement and display of the documentation in art spaces.
While SSLAPP's main function is the development of gallery non-sites, its algorithms can also be used to identify heretofore unknown "sites" and accommodate visitors. The app will be a valuable tool for artists but also the lay person interested in seeing the world as an artist does. It's hoped that the app will also have spin-off benefits, such as scouting locations for the tourist, entertainment, and advertising industries, and, ultimately, the revival of local economies.
I am asking for $50,000 to implement this project, in accordance with the attached budget.
To: Tom
From: NEW INC Review Committee
Re: SLAPP Proposal
Date: March 11, 2014
We are thrilled by your SSLAPP proposal and have fast-tracked it for immediate approval. We look forward to working with you, and seeing this wonderful idea enter the incubation process.