I am satisfied with the completeness of my project. I’m not sure how I did it, but I got Pigeography to a point that I can safely call “done” for the time being. I am glad that I was able to attach a piece of audio to every argument that I created. I was envisioning that the audio for each argument would be a completed traditional audio documentary. However, upon reflection, I am glad that this did not happen. It let me contemplate the non-linear/non-narrative ways that audio could potentially be used in a database documentary.
Each argument has given me something to be proud of. The first argument, the Invitation to Imagine, allowed me to make a theoretical argument about my project. It was based off of the Clarence McKenzie Lewis Pigeon Whistles that I discovered at the New York Botanical Garden. I think this was the most interesting find that I made in this project. Pigeon Whistles are a unique and untapped way that Pigeons become “media.” Unlike homing pigeons, pigeon whistles are still flying underneath the cultural radar. In time, I would like to pursue a project, perhaps at the NYBG itself, where I get 36 pigeons, replicas of each of the whistles, and permission (a grant) to do a performance of the whistles. In my imagination of the sound that the whistles make, I used a different part of ProTools than I’ve ever used before. I feel like argument I Invitation to Imagination is going to be a gateway into mastering new audio engineering skills.
The Second argument, Global Pigeon History, allowed me to create a good historical narrative. This is not something that I ever thought I could do. I have never seen myself as a “historian.” I’ve always been plagued with issues of guilt over the accuracy of my “facts.” Therefore I’ve never said anything new in a history that I have told. This marks a turning point for me. Not only did I draw from different secondary sources to create a linear historical narrative, I also located a new primary source (that article about JP Morgan from 1915), which fit into the story and supported the argument quite nicely I thought.
The Third argument, III Lena Lehrstuck is probably the thing that I am most proud of in this project. I’ve been focusing on the Lena story for quite some time now. It is an excellent story, but the more I think about it, and look into it, the more I am thoroughly convinced it’s a sham! Because of this, I felt it was not only possible, but maybe even necessary to highlight the fictive nature of the piece through dramatic reenactment. I modeled the script for this off of Brecht’s Flight of the Lindberghs, which involves (1) propaganda and (2) a crossing of the Atlantic. I would like to work more on this little radio drama by adding a musical score reminiscent of Weill’s score for Brecht’s play. I’d also like to tighten up some of the meter in the libretto.
The fourth argument, IIII Your Stories was created as a place for potentialities. As the URT goes on, it will at some point, probably feature a way for people to contribute. I created this argument as an open field for such contributions