Something about this summer- super great collaborative projects abound. First there was the  illustration ale a partnership between East End Brewing and the Toonseum.  Then Barebones Productions brought Killer Joe to the stage with Joe Grushekcy accompaniment.  Public Record is a collaboration between Pittsburgh writer and artist Justin Hopper, tech company DeepLocal and publishers Encyclopedia Destructia to bring some of the mystery and history of Pittsburgh to life on the streets of downtown Pittsburgh.

Public Record has created poems based on some 19th century Pittsburgh crime reports. Actual stories of murder, theft and other Pittsburgh history – come to life.  These poems can be listened to via cell phones – there is an iphone app and a text message based system as well.  You can listen to the poems in the locations that the poems reference.

The collaboration continues into the project as Public Record record that audio for the project with Herman “Soy Sos” Pearl at Pearl’s Tuff Sound studio in Wilkinsburg. The voices of Public Record readings include artist Alexi Morrissey, poet and musician Christiane Leach, and actress Adrienne Wehr. David Bernabo and Nathan Hall contributed original music to the pieces.

The gallery show includes visual artwork, inspired by the poems, from Jeff Schreckengost, Lisa Toboz, David Pohl, Jennifer Howison, Erin Brubaker, Christopher Kardambikis, and Wayno, plus a projection-based version of the tour for audience members to experience in the gallery by Hopper, Jonathan Kline, and Christine Brill.

Public Record opens this Friday, June 16, 2010 at 937 Liberty Ave during the summer gallery crawl.  More information about the project is available at PublicRecordPgh.com

Facebook Event for the opening is here.

Check out some of the great press that Public Record has already received:

• BOMB Magazine
• Post-Gazette -Next Page
• Pittsburgh City Paper