London Places

A new interactive smoky installation has been unveiled with the help of BBC London.

Memory Cloud combines a very modern medium with a 5,000-year-old one, the smoke signal, to provide a means of writing in space.

"Smoke is the paper and the light is the writing..."

Memory Cloud's Theodore Spyropoulos

Over three nights, the Trafalgar Square installation will allow visitors and members of the public to send giant text messages, transforming the square through conversation and perhaps the odd declaration of love.

Our television cameras were on hand on the opening night to record the BBC London logo projected high into the night-time sky as a backdrop to weatherman Peter Cockcroft's broadcast.

Visitors watched the logo appear through plumes of smoke and then hover and recede, giving a 3-D effect as the wind billowed gently around the square.

Presented in association with the ICA, the light-and-air communication is the work of brothers Stephen and Theodore Spyropoulos.

"conversation piece"

The duo founded an experimental architecture and design practice in 2002 and describe Memory Cloud as a transient light environment.

"We form an artistic platform which people can speak through and use to interact with each other," said Theodore Spyropoulos.

Texts last for around eight seconds

"Smoke is the paper and the light is the writing. It's a real conversation piece - people respond to what they see."

Participants can watch their words go up in smoke for around eight seconds with each text.

It's not a complete free-for-all, however, as messages will be screened for the sake of decency.

Greetings, jokes, jibes, song lyrics and slogans are permitted, as are marriage proposals but texts containing advertising and politics are strictly off-limits. 

Memory Cloud, Trafalgar Square SW1, Wednesday 8 - Friday 10 October. Texts to 0797 218 7256 between 7pm - 9.30pm only. Standard rates apply in London/UK.