Textual Machines

Textual Machines was an international symposium exploring literary objects that produce texts through the material interaction with mechanical devices or procedures. We define “textual machines” as a perspective on literature and book objects where text is “a mechanical device for the production and consumption of verbal signs” (Espen J. Aarseth). From the symposium’s perspective, textual machines are not limited to a specific media or epoch, and include literary objects ranging from early modern movable books, to modern pop-up books, artist’s books, game books, concrete poetry, combinatory literature, electronic literature and interactive fictions. A distinctive feature of textual machines is that they invite readers to traverse text through the non-trivial manipulation of mechanistic devices or procedures: by navigating through hyperlinks, footnotes, marginalia or other semiotic cues, or by answering to configurational, exploratory or writing prompts.
In conjunction with the symposium, the Willson Center Digital Humanities Lab at the University of Georgia hosted the Textual Machines Exhibit, showcasing holdings from the Hargrett rare Book & Manuscript Library and the Digital Arts Library, including early modern movable books, modern artist’s books, and electronic literature. The exhibit explored literary objects that produce texts through the material interaction with mechanical devices or procedures. Espen J. Aarseth defines textual machines as objects where text is “a mechanical device for the production and consumption of verbal signs” (Cybertext, 1997). From the exhibit’s perspective, textual machines are not limited to a specific medium or epoch and include literary objects ranging from early modern books with moveable parts to modern artist’s books and interactive fictions.