About [murmur]

[murmur] is an archival audio project that has collected stories set in specific locations throughout Vancouver's Chinatown. At each of these locations, a [murmur] sign marks the availability of a story with a telephone number and location code. By using a mobile phone, people can listen to the story of that place while engaging in the full physical experience of being there. Some stories suggest that the listener walk around, following a certain path through a place, while others allow a person to wander with both their feet and their gaze. Stories will be available in both English and Chinese.

Since at least 1885, Chinatown has been the center of Chinese life in Vancouver. From the original Chinese labourers who worked in the industries that built the province to the artists, workers, professionals and young people that are moving back into the area, Chinatown contains a wealth of human history that people need to know about.

Walking through Chinatown, it's clear these buildings and alleys are a storehouse of memory and emotion. Yet, as the city progresses and changes, and as people move in and out of the area, these memories are either neglected and undervalued, or kept inside of the heads of people.

[murmur] wants to keep these stories alive and on the streets. Interesting things don't only happen at GM Place or Granville Island -- the city is full of stories, and some of them happen in parking lots and bungalows, diners and front lawns. The smallest, greyest or most nondescript building can be transformed by the stories that live in it. Once heard, these stories can change the way people think about a place and the city at large.

[murmur] was first launched in Toronto's Kensington Market in July 2003 (murmurtoronto.ca). Along with Chinatown, [murmur] is also launching along St. Laurent Boulevard in Montreal (murmure.ca).

[murmur] was initially developed with the assistance of the Canadian Film Centre, Habitat New Media Lab.

Credits

Concept: Shawn Micallef, James Roussel, Gabe Sawhney

Creative direction: Shawn Micallef
Technical direction: Gabe Sawhney
Research, recording and editing: Jason Lee, Doris Cheng

Vancouver coordinator: Rob Warren

Graphic design: Melissa Taylor
Signage design: Isako Shigekawa
Chinatown illustration: Shane Whitehouse

[murmur] Vancouver was made possible through assistance from terminus1525.
Technical assistance graciously supplied by:
Centre for Policy Research on Science and Technology,
Simon Fraser University at Harbour Centre,
Simon Fraser University.