Körper im elektronischen Raum: Modelle für Menschen und interaktive Systeme

Im Kontakt mit Medientechnik wird der menschliche Körper öfters als veraltete Hardware abgetan, insbesondere wenn darüber lediglich gedacht und gesprochen bzw. geschrieben wird. Konkret, unter Einsatz aller Sinneskanäle erweist er sich jedoch als eine vielfach einzusetzende Schnittstelle und nach wie vor volltaugliches Interaktionsmedium, das sowohl mit der Maschine selber als auch mit anderen (menschlichen oder zumindest humanoiden) Körpern innerhalb maschineller Umgebungen komplex kommunizieren kann. Computer und Internet sind nicht nur Arbeitswerkzeuge und Informationsleiter, sondern zunehmend auch kommunikative Partner, deren Informationsverarbeitungsweisen in Wechselbeziehungen mit den (zwischen)menschlichen Kommunikationsmustern zu denken sind. Wie beschreibt und gestaltet sich am besten die multimediale Verwandtschaft "neuer" Medien und des "altbekannten" Körpers im elektronischen Interaktionsraum von Kunst, Technik und Wissenschaft? Die Arbeit fasst den Vorsatz, die Darstellungs- und Wahrnehmungsmodalitäten des menschlichen Körpers im neumedialen Kontext jenseits üblicher Prämierungen und unnötiger Reduzierungen zukunftsträchtig auswerten sowie kommunizieren zu können. Trotz plausibler Diskurskritik wird versucht, ergiebige Ansätze einer praktisch informierten - sowie an die Praxis rückkoppelnden - medientheoretischen Diskussion um den Körper im virtuellen sowie insbesondere konkreten elektronischen Raum zu eruieren. Dazu wird der dominante Körperdiskurs benutzt - und zugleich unterlaufen, indem sein kreativ handelndes sowie sein künstlerisch-cum-wissenschaftlich "be-handeltes" Referenzobjekt untersucht wird. Dies geschieht auch durch den eigenen, multimedial und interaktiv eingesetzten Körper des Autors wie auch die Körper der Interviewten, der Kooperierenden und nicht zuletzt der RezipientInnen. Eine mehrfache Rehabilitierung des pessimistisch medialisierten, zerredeten Körpers erfolgt im aktuell fruchtbarsten sowie symptomatisch mythenreichsten Zwischenfeld von (Tanz)Kunst und Technologie - eben nicht nur rein wissenschaftlich, sondern auch ästhetisch-produktiv durch die eigene und eigentliche interdisziplinäre Tätigkeit. Daraus werden relevante Modelle zur theoretischen und praktischen Arbeit mit dem Körper im elektronischen Raum sowie allgemeine Vorschläge für Beschreibung und Gestaltung interdisziplinärer Kooperationsprojekte abgeleitet.In contact with media technology the human body is often being dismissed as hardware out of date - especially if merely thought and talked or written about. Concretely, with all the sensory channels employed, the body proves to be a diversely applicable interface and still a fully compatible interactive medium that can communicate with the machine itself as well as with other (human or at least humanoid) bodies within technical environments in a complex way. Computers and the Internet are not only instruments and conductors but increasingly also communicative partners, whose ways of information processing should be conceived in association with (inter)personal communication patterns. How are the multimodal affinities of "new" media and the "good old" body to be described and designed within the electronic interactions of art, technology and science? Beyond traditional hierarchies and unnecessary reductions the project attempts to elicit the seminal modalities of (re)production as well as perception that the human body is capable of in the context of new media. In spite of plausible discourse critique, productive approaches at a practically informed media-theory discussion on the body in the virtual and especially in the concrete electronic space are elicited - and eventually feedbacked to the practical field. For this purpose the dominant body discourse is used, yet at the same time undermined by investigating its object in the state of acting as well as in the state of being acted-upon, artistically and scientifically. This also happens through the own, multimediatized and inter-activated body of the author as well as the bodies of the persons interviewed, cooperating and, lastly, addressed. A manifold rehabilitation of the pessimistically mediatized and talked-apart body takes place at the both topically prolific and symptomatically mythologized crossings of (dance) art and technology - not only scientifically but also in terms of the author's aesthetic production within the interdisciplinary field. Deriving from all this, models for theoretical and practical treatment of the body in the electronic space as well as general propositions for description and design of interdisciplinary cooperation projects are developed finally

Dancing sympathy beyond human failure

abstract The article explores the concepts, tools and methods that may be taken on board by artistic researchers when venturing into uncertain futures. The approaching hay-day of Artistic Research calls for a repositioning of this academic and cultural avantgarde that is assuming real power and must thus take clear opposition against dominant politics and corporate capitalism keeping the human and non-human kinds in perpetual crisis. Next to Science and Technology, Art has finally reached a status of an equivalued cornerstone, and within this level playing field a new research-based approach is needed where power relationships, decision-making mechanisms, dominant narratives or prevalent aesthetics are boldly investigated and critically questioned, (re)instituting the importance of artistic disruption and establishing art-thinking as the key to not only question but also design pathways to meaningful change. Deeply intertwined research methodologies ranging from social to natural sciences, from humanities via (critically reflected) technologies to the (technologically emancipated) arts, should be left to safely mingle and mutually inspire. Rather than colonizing it with yet another false supremacy, we should be learning from the Global South, where collective dancing, storytelling or performing still presents a norm of how to generate new knowledge or reach consensus. Artistic Research can contribute to crafting better worlds even once AI entities get accepted as fellow researchers (if not dancers), their agency reflected in an attitude of radical sympathy (re)instituting care, justice and solidarity by ways of sound research activism

The Resiege of Neptun

After the Neptun Trilogy (2011-13) and its Re:enactment in 2014 (vimeo.com/119334124), the performer returns to the site -- now taken over by yet another corporation: The ex-Neptun factory in Komiža, island of Vis (Croatia) was being used as one of the strictly closed areas on the island for shooting of the Hollywood blockbuster Mamma Mia 2. Since the production of part one left a small idyllic Greek island had bereft of peace and well-being, the islanders accepted it with much ambivalence. Thus Neptun\u27s pier had to be sieged again, even if only at its floating tip, the plastic pontoon (02:25 - 02:45 )

"[email protected]"

The question about the role of art in education, but also vice versa, will be asked along the line of some key insights, resulting from a decade of studying, experimenting with and questioning of art pedagogy, in particular within the new-media or intermedia realms. Of course such an insight cannot be straightforward, and is essentially unreliable. How can we think art, and practice art in the educational domain? How can we look inside this black box and outside of it? An intelligent view will only mediate what it sees – white on black, on the screen, online. The lecture will be delivered to participants for their participation.Vprašanje o vlogi umetnosti v izobraževanju, a tudi obratno, bo zastavljeno vzdolž nekaj ključnih vpogledov iz desetletnega proučevanja, preizkušanja in preizpraševanja umetnostne, še posebej novo- ali intermedijske pedagogike. Seveda tak vpogled ne more biti neposreden in je nujno nezanesljiv. Kako se umetnost misli, in kako počne, ko je v domeni izobraževanja? Kako pogledati v to črno škatlo, in kako videti ven? Oko pametnega bo posredovalo le tisto, kar bo videlo – belo na črnem, na zaslonu, na spletu. Predavanje bo predano udeleženim v udeležbo

Interdisciplinary Education for Innovation is Tough, But it Pays

Radically transversal, interdisciplinary and intergenerational innovation methodologies can make the most precious aspect of education get (back) to business -- the open and eager approach to new knowledge. In this session, Peter Purg will discuss his background and experience with project “MyMachine” and its implications on the future of education and innovation

Unlearning Taboo

Along the TTT 2023 programme, the performer selected and remixed fragments of both artworks (installations and performances) as well as discursive contributions in a way that corresponds to the principles of Bertolt Brecht’s “Lehrstücke,” the so-called learning or teaching pieces that deconstruct and expose the mechanisms of (power) relationships inherent to the (media/art) system in question. Provoking both rational and irrational perspectives, possibilities of (un)learning through acting, playing roles, adopting postures etc. was explored, dissolving (or at least questioning) the divide between authors and audiences, both invited (in Brechtian terms) to acquire attitudes rather than to consume an entertainment

I M A G I N A R Y : H O S P I T A L I T Y

The imaginaries of hospitality have been changing ever since people were moving places, migrating – meeting, welcoming and leaving each other. A famous Sanskrit verse equals guest to God. *** A musical album of reflections by: Heidrun Friese (Germany/Italy), Rim Trad (Lebanon), Eva Ann Wanjiku Chege (Kenya), Simay Abay (Turkey), Matias Olesi Pasulani (Malawi), Frida Stephany Yee Salas (Mexico), Negera Gudeta Adula (Ethiopia), Winnie Wothaya Murigu (Kenya). 01_othering (05:12) 02_visualising movement (02:51) 03_relating the other (04:25) 04_worlding hospitality (03:26) 05_creating mobility (03:07) 06_instrumentalizing (03:45) *** The project is a part of the 2023 POSTMOBILITY programme within www.go2025.eu. Special thanks to dr. Heidrun Friese, and to the abovenamed students of EMMIR, the European Master in Migration and Intercultural Relations www.emmir.org. *** Original music score and sound editing: Abiral Khadka (Joondroid) Artistic research and performative conception: pETER Pur

Performiranje urbanih medijskih ekologija (Performing Urban Media Ecologies)

Kako se vrše (ne)upotrebe gradskog javnog prostora? Prema čijim potrebama, kakvim motivacijama, relacijama snaga, dominaciji kodova i(li) kanala? Koje umjetničke i(li) građanske mogućnosti (i)li nužnosti otvaraju se, ako grad promatramo i(li) poremećujemo iz ekološke perspektive? Intenzivna radiona pod vodstvom dr. pETER(a)Purg(a) kombinira medijsko-umjetničke i performativne koncepte i prakse na pozadini ekološke paradigme (modela?), koju prenosi na javni urbani prostor. Tražiti će se načini svežeg promatranja i performativne intervencije u javni urbani prostor kao ekosistem. Umjetnička refleksija i upotreba novih (pa i starih) tehnologija na poremečujuči (disruptiuvni način) manifestirati će se u kratkim radovima, koji će biti na kraju predstavljeni bilo na specifičnim gradskim lokacijama ili unutar zidova Akademijebilo u konceptualnoj, prototipnoj ili krajnjem-javnom obliku. Svi radovi će biti arhivirani online sa kratkim video-dokumentacijama te tekstualnim refleksijama

Investigative Arts as Grassroots Empowerment to Environmental Research: the Cases of Taming the Forest and xMobil

In the current state of multiple and repeating planetary-scale crises, ranging from climate disasters to resource mismanagement, the complexity of problems often takes humanity into exploring unknown unknowns. Through a gradual consolidation of networks and platforms across realms of education, economy and both NGO as well as public cultural institutions, it is especially the media-artistic practice (and discourse!) of the investigative kind that trailblazes possible itineraries and develops (at least speculative) toolbelts for venturing into any kind of livable future, possibly such that might surpass the aporia of the anthropocene and find a new way of making (up to) kin. The selected project cases depict two possible strategic approaches lending well to grassroots initiatives, even if both are embedded within either wide-ranging multi-million supported (structural) platform endeavors, or trans-national programmes such as the European Capital of Culture. An ongoing collaborative process between art and science, Taming the Forest (2022-) is being implemented by a group of students, artists and researchers charting an interdisciplinary cross-field among bioeconomy, cultural history, policy, and art(ivism). Researching the conflicting narratives of history and economy about biodiversity in general, and specifically on forests, the project brought about several public formats such as lectures, video installations and AV performances. The project-as-process shows how different blends of methodologies in artistic-cum-scientific research can become truly relevant for both of their respective realms, opening new creative pathways and pedagogical registers, while repeatedly returning to the local (forest). Moreover, Taming the Forest manifests the need for a new sensibility and complex knowledge, moving beyond the objective study and becoming attentive to different dimensions of research and its outputs that emerge through the introduction of Art Thinking. This becomes crucial in order to tackle the manifold big-scale problems such as climate and biodiversity crises which call for both acting decisively and transforming radically, above all in regards to how we perceive, relate to and manage forests. xMobil (2021-) is a multi-stakeholder prototype development process of a mobile laboratory in a solar-powered car trailer, assembled mostly of salvaged technology parts and reused materials, geared for investigative-art and DIY/DIWO-workshop applications. Empowering creativity and innovation in off-grid public and remote locations, and promoting autonomous art-science practices as well as creative-community projects, particularly in the realm of environmentalism, it combines the work of artists, designers, architects, researchers and engineers who act as mentors to both students and non-formal learners coming from diverse educational programs, both formal and non-formal. xMobil was conceived by a community of developers and future users representing highly diverse sectors, from industry, independent arts production, natural sciences and education (teachers and students), to activism, and even local governance or cultural policy. The contribution will eventually raise the issue of visibility, sustainability and preservation of such transitory projects or platforms, where artistic(-cum-scientific) works are based on grassroots research and experimentation, examining their methodological approach as well as their topic-setting as regards the limits of growth, and not least discussing their costs to social and natural ecosystems, increasingly permeated by technology

IDEATE: a serious interplay of disciplines and cultures

Based on both quantitative and qualitative findings after two course runs in 2015 and 2016, the article will evaluate key aspects of the IDEATE.me entrepreneurship workshop model – as serious play. In the IDEATE course university students from four different countries and disciplines respond together to a contemporary challenge of global social significance, eventually presenting a full product or service prototype. As a media-technology supported ecosystem, the blendedlearning pedagogy offers space for particular gamification strategies, such as social and narrative suspense, win-win oriented competition, conceptual way-finding, new-territory mapping etc. Seeking balance between own disciplinary autonomy and exploring new roles, the students of IDEATE play along to navigate intercultural and interdisciplinary environments, permeated by new electronic media – but still relying on body-in-space. Addressing teachers and university managers, the entrepreneurial pedagogy of IDEATE will unfold on the background of the "eculog" paradigm (M. Giesecke), suggesting a timely understanding of interdisciplinary communication and collaboration