The Typewriter Project

The Typewriter Project was a series of site-specific literary installations which invited passersby to join in a citywide poetic exchange that existed in both analog and digital realms. These typewriter booths were each outfitted with a vintage typewriter, 100-foot long paper scroll, and a custom-built USB Typewriter™ kit, which allowed every keystroke to be collected, stored, and posted online for users to read, share, and comment upon. The project was largely inspired by the idea of an Exquisite Corpse, a surrealist writing game in which several authors contribute to one poem. By creating a new and unique form of public dialogue, this project hoped to capture something of the sound, narrative, and nuance of specific corners of the city. The Typewriter Project’s mission was to investigate, document, and preserve the poetic subconscious of the city while providing a fun and interactive means for the public to engage with the written word. The project was retired in 2020. Read some of the scrolls here.