Hot Spots

Today's assignment was a bit of a surprise, truth be told. But I do appreciate the chance of putting my mind to something practical-aestetical inbetween the lessons. So when I got Mauri's mail, I quickly tried to reorient myself towards the Mustamee area. I knew next to nothing about it, but a bit of research found the name to mean something like "Black Mountain"? Though it's hard to imagine a mountain - at least in the norwegian sense - in pancake-flat Estonia, (no offense intended). But what to do with such a place? It really does not invite one's creativity to blossom. There is, however, a forresty area nearby. Could Mauri imply that we should look for mushrooms to provide a little hallocinogenic stimulous?

For a second, I played with the idea to make site for a group of New Age/New Media witches from the Black Mountain, but left it there. Appearently, whiches are in short supply in Estonia.

Anyroad, I found the hotspot, more thanks to my GPS than to my sense of direction, and soon realized the area to be a center for higher education, with several colleges within range. What had motivated Mauri to choose this particular place? Was there some hidden message that we must decode and deconstruct? How? Where? I pride myself in thinking on my feet, but this Hot Spot was dead cold to me, metaphorically speaking. Still, as Freud reluctantly admitted, sometimes a sigar is just a sigar. Could it be so straightforward? And where were the rest of you?

Admittedly, I was bit bewildered, but soon decieded to go for a safe middle way: a mock-up of a site for the nearby business-college. I took some shots of the houses, and especially of the semi-figurative sculpture outside it. I tried my best to discover the name of the creator, but apart from the fact that she was a woman, nobody could tell me her name. That's how much we appreciate art.

Tomorrow's plan, then, is to use Wix, a free flash based editor, to create the site. I haven't had time to think of a real strategy yet, so I'll just have to wing it. The basic idea is to promote the college, but so far I know too little about it and that's breaking rule numero uno: learn the client's nature and needs.

So, don't expect to see much of me tomorrow; I need a Mac to get this half right and will take refuge in the new media lab. Also I need to take some additional photos. Anyone know a model that will work without a fee? Job desription: pretend to be a happy student at the Business College of Mustamee. No broom-sticks need apply!