RYNSA: WORDS

Last month (I’m obviously behind the times here), the BBC reported on the opening of a memorial for slain journalists. The all glass, cone-shaped sculpture currently sits atop the BBC Broadcasting House in London, and includes a beam of white light that will be illuminated every evening at 10pm. The memorial, entitled simply Breathing, is a creation of Spanish artist Jaume Plensa, and is intended to honor journalists as well as their support colleagues (drivers, translators, etc.).

This is somewhat similar to the Freedom Forum’s journalists memorial at the brand new ‘Newseum’ in Washington, DC, which opened in April of this year. Unlike the BBC, however, the Newseum’s version (I can’t say that name with a straight face, by the way), is focused more on the sacrifices and contributions of American journalists.

I hope someday to see both of these memorials. Until then, a tip of the proverbial 40 oz. for our fallen reporters.

From the so-called ‘Steampunk‘ Department (with apologies to Gizmodo), check out this very simple, but effective, interactive art exhibit, which features an ‘underground’ telescope linking London and New York City. Passersby on both sides of the Atlantic ocean can apparently see each other in real-time. More info at Engadget, and again at CNN or CoolHunting.

The creator of the project is a British artist named Paul St. George, who refers to his telescope as a ‘Telectroscope’, referring to the electronic aspects of the piece. The thing even has a blog, on which web followers can track Mr. St. George’s movements underground (via Google Maps and beneath the ocean, in fact) as he builds his epic observational machine. The myth is taking on storybook-like aesthetics.

Whatever you call it or however you describe it, I think this ‘telectroscope’ is very, very cool. It’s kind of a magical artifact, really, and I regret that I wont be in either New York or London to go check it out.