Audiovisual Installation as Ecological Performativity

Symposium:


Session Title:
  • Environments + Ecology

Presentation Title:
  • Audiovisual Installation as Ecological Performativity

Presenter(s):


Abstract:

  • (long paper)

    Keywords: Audiovisual Installation; Ecological Performativity; Agency; New Materialism; Systems Theory; Ontology; Autopoiesis; Cognition; Interconnectedness; Practice-based research.

    This paper stems from my practice-based research as a composer of collaborative multimedia works. The majority of artifacts that result are audiovisual installations that explore new relationships from an ecological perspective—that is—the perspective that considers the world to be a network of interconnected and interdependent phenomena. In an attempt to contextualize my research and explore new possibilities for creative practice, I have become interested in a number of theories about the agency and performativity of living and non-living systems. I present several of these theories within a historical context, and describe the audiovisual installations Aspects of Trees, Undercurrent, and the work-inprogress, Bridgings, all of which illustrate my evolving practice and ontological notion of Ecological Performativity.

    Introduction
    Over the past twenty years, my creative practice as a composer has increasingly become a multidisciplinary and collaborative endeavor. This work has been an enriching enterprise covering numerous perspectives that have expanded both my artistic practice and philosophical thoughts on creativity. In order to develop a supportive discourse for these creative activities, and explore new patterns of inquiry and networks of communication, I have recently been drawn to several scholarly discussions about the agency and performativity of living and non-living systems. In this paper I present several of these dialogues in their historical context, and give a descriptive account of the audiovisual installations, Aspects of Trees, Undercurrent, and the work-in-progress, Bridgings, which illustrate my evolving practice and ontological notion of Ecological Performativity.

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