Course Outline Part II. Spring Term

Please Note change to weeks 4 and 7.


Week 1. Case Studies in Contemporary Multimedia Performance I
- contemporary Japanese video performance, Kyupi Kyupi, Dumb Type PH, OR and S/N
Reading:
- http://dumbtype.com/
- Cynthia Gedrich and Woodrow Hood, ‘Noise and Nudity: Kyoto’s Dumb Type’ Theatre Forum #18 (Winter/Spring 2001), 3-11.


Week 2. 15/01 Case Studies in Contemporary Multimedia Performance II
- Blast Theory: Kidnap, Desert Rain
Reading:
- http://www.blasttheory.co.uk
- Matthew Causey ‘The Screen Test of the Double: The Uncanny Performer in the Space of Technology’ Theatre Journal 51.4 (1999) 383-394

Week 3. 22/01 Case Studies in Contemporary Multimedia Performance III
- New Australian performance
- Artspace and P Space
- Monica Tikachek, The King Pins, Tony Schwensen
Reading:
- http://www.performancespace.com.au/
- Scheer, E. (2006) ‘Documents of Paradox: Negotiating Liveness in Video Art’ The Ends of the 60s. Performance, Media and Contemporary Culture, Peter Eckersall and E. Scheer eds., Sydney: Performance Paradigm. 128-35

Week 4. 29/01 Towards a posthuman performance
- Stelarc: Movatar and other actions
- Critical Art Ensemble
- What is post-humanism?
- Cybernetics
Reading:
- Gabriella Giannachi, ‘Cyborg Theatre’ in Virtual Theatres: an Introduction
- Edward Scheer ‘Performing Indifference, An Interview With Stelarc’ Performance Paradigm Journal of Performance and Contemporary Culture. #1, (March 2005) www.performanceparadigm.net


Week 5. 05/02 New cultural media
- Hacktivism and digital politics, activist sites, flashmobs
- Digital performance
- The production of identity in Blogs and Myspace
Reading:
- Rebecca Schneider, ‘Nomadmedia: On Critical Art Ensemble’
TDR: The Drama Review - Volume 44, Number 4 (T 168), Winter 2000
- Jon McKenzie, ‘Hacktivism and Machinic Performance’ in Performance Paradigm Journal of Performance and Contemporary Culture #1 March 2005 http://www.performanceparadigm.net/
- Michael Rush ‘Digital Art’ in New Media in Late 20th Century Art, 168-217.
- John Potts and Andrew Murphie from ‘Digital Aesthetics’ in Culture and Technology, 66-83.


Week 6. Reading week

Week 7. 19/02 Video Installation and time-based art
- Bill Viola confessional video,
- Martin Arnold, Cinemnesis
- Guillermo Gomez-Pena
Reading:
- Gabriella Giannachi, ‘Towards an Aesthetic of Virtual Reality’ in Virtual Theatres: an Introduction
- Michael Rush ‘Video Installation Art’ in New Media in Late 20th Century Art, 116-167

Week 8. 26/02 Performative Architectures
- Rafael Lozano-Hemmer. UnderScan and BodyMovies
- Diller and Scofidio: ‘The Blur Building’ 2002
- Krzysztof Wodiczko ‘Projections’ various 1991
Reading:
- Nick Kaye, from Site-Specific Art. Performance, Place and Documentation, 33-41.
- http://www.art-for-a-change.com/Krzysztof/krzy.htm
- http://www.designboom.com/eng/funclub/dillerscofidio.html

Weeks 9,10. 4,11/03 Powerpoint presentations
- Individual and small group consultations with lecturer (summaries due)
- rehearsals
- Presentations and discussion

DanceForms: Lilac

I particularly liked this piece because it was on of the few on the site that showed group movement and, though I know next to nothing about dance, I can see this being useful to a choreographer as it would enable them tailor large scale dances to the particular demands of a performance space at the earliest possible stage of the creative process. I also think the subtle difference between the movements of the male and female dancers is also a great example of how delicate and realistic this programme can be.

Slow Walk

Hello

this annimation couldnt get any simpler, a figure walking slowly. I think its interesting in terms of focusing on detail. I think the software and technology is helpful in stripping movement down to its most basic and natural level. I can imagine that being very useful for a chreographer, finding rhythmes and styles to basic movement in order to eloborate later. rather like a painter starting with a blank canvas. A dancer would already have a specific way of moving due to his or hers physique and dance training and the software can create a focused artistic vision without any dillusion or misconceptions by dancers themselves. In turn through the clarity of the digital animation other inputs and variations could be discussed.

Something Interesting...

Thought that anyone who was doing there essay on the i-cinema projects might like to have a quick gander at this. Quite interesting in terms of interaction and how computer use may change very drastically in the near future... links with T_Visionarium etc.

Cartwheel Motion

This clip is probably one of the simplest clips from the character motions website. The simplicity was the main thing to draw me to this clip because everything was focused entirely on the moving image of the dancer.

I'm afraid that my knowledge on dance is very limited so I cant really comment so much on the body but am commenting more on the actual technology. The simplicity of the moving image allows for little distraction and helps the viewer to concentrate fully on the image without disturbance. I can see how this could be an effective tool for a professional dancer or choreographer in order to help them to configure dances before they even enter the studio. Very effective

Centre Excerpts

I find the use of the danceforms technology on the ballet body interesting in a number of ways here.

Firstly the conflict of tradition meeting innovation. Ballet, arguably the foundation style in western dance is inseparable from history, yet in ‘Centre Excerpts’ its connotations of institution are expressed in a medium which challenges that which has been before.

However, when considering how coded the ballet body may already be we may view its representation through danceforms as a natural progression.
Ballet steps are formalised and recorded- there is a correct and incorrect way to perform them, there are names and standardised descriptions for how each movement should be executed and the body itself strives for logic and a pleasing aesthetic- all notions we may parallel with a computer programme.
Further this, ballet values perfection in presentation while the human body must strive to overcome its inherent imperfections, something the ‘perfect’ danceforms figure has no concern with.

Could it be then that the danceforms ballet body is actually the perfect ballet body?
Almost definitely not, but perhaps one to discuss?

Dancing Dollar

I like this little clip of DanceForms in action as it pushes what dance actually is. I always take it to be the movement of the human body, and even DanceForms, whilst an artificial reality, is modelled on the human frame. Even in this clip we can just about trace out human-like qualities in the dollar bill - arms, legs, torso, maybe a head. However, the dollar is flatter, wider and more angular than a human, and appears to have been made with an entirely different model and not just a human model with a dollar texture applied over the top.


This goes beyond making animals dance or manipulating puppets. An inanimate object is given the status of dancer, moving of its own virtual volition without any real-world strings - and therefore the uniquely human quality of dance is challenged. And that's without the apparent comment on the body as being just a part of late day capitalism symbolised by the currency. All that from
a few seconds of video.