Markova, Lora

This article proposes to study how embodied aesthetic experiences could subvert discursively produced social categories at a non-verbal, somatic and affective level via the analysis of the interactive art project ‘The Machine to Be Another’ by BeAnotherLab. The originality of this research lies in suggesting a paradigmatic shift from representation and discursive formation of cultural identities towards embodied transculturation via media re-enactment of ‘becoming’ the (cultural) Other. ‘The Machine to Be Another’ (since 2014) offers several scenarios of interaction – Gender Swap, empathy towards immigrants, sensory understanding of impairment – that generate virtual empathy on the basis of neuroscience protocols, elements of telepresence and performance, and Oculus Rift technology. Similarly to Kathryn Bigelow’s cyberpunk film Strange Days (1995), The Machine employs subjective camera and first-person footage as an empathic tool. Moreover, the artwork provides a multiplicity of self-reflexive perspectives that functions as a form of disruptive montage subverting regular modes of perception. As Suhr and Willerslev (2013) have argued, montage offers a tool to break the mimetic dogma and make invisible social realities visible, so that the destabilization of common-sense perception could transcend cultural boundaries. The analysis reveals that the subversive potential of the Machine emerges in the somaesthetic fusion between subjective camera and sensorimotor destabilization, which provokes imaginary extension of one’s self in multiple versions. Conceptually these experiential dimensions resemble Mikhail Epstein’s understanding of transculturality as the freedom to be different from others, as well as from one’s own self (1995). The Machine also plays a subversive role by transgressing ideological boundaries and hierarchical dichotomies such as self/other, mind/body, organism/machine, male/female, which Donna Haraway has conceptualised via the metaphor of the ‘cyborg’ (1984). Thus, the article establishes interconnections between Haraway’s cyborg manifesto and the transcultural paradigm, since both entail overcoming of essentialism and binary oppositions

Edge Hill University Research Information Repository

1	  	  Embodied	   transculturation	   and	   the	   subversive	   potential	   of	   virtual	   empathy	   in	   the	  interactive	  art	  project	  The	  Machine	  to	  be	  Another	  (2014)	  This	  article	  proposes	   to	   study	  how	  embodied	  aesthetic	  experiences	   could	   subvert	  discursively	  produced	   social	   categories	   at	   a	   non-­‐verbal,	   somatic	   and	   affective	   level	   via	   the	   analysis	   of	   the	  interactive	   art	   project	   ‘The	   Machine	   to	   Be	   Another’	   by	   BeAnotherLab.	   The	   originality	   of	   this	  research	  lies	  in	  suggesting	  a	  paradigmatic	  shift	  from	  representation	  and	  discursive	  formation	  of	  cultural	  identities	  towards	  embodied	  transculturation	  via	  media	  re-­‐enactment	  of	  ‘becoming’	  the	  (cultural)	  Other.	   ‘The	  Machine	   to	  Be	  Another’	   (ongoing	  since	  2014)	  offers	   several	   scenarios	  of	  interaction	   –	   Gender	   Swap,	   empathy	   towards	   immigrants,	   and	   sensory	   understanding	   of	  impairment	  –	  that	  generate	  virtual	  empathy	  on	  the	  basis	  of	  neuroscience	  protocols,	  elements	  of	  telepresence	   and	   performance,	   and	   Oculus	   Rift	   technology.	   Similarly	   to	   Kathryn	   Bigelow’s	  cyberpunk	   film	  Strange	  Days	  (1995),	  The	  Machine	  employs	  subjective	  camera	  and	   first-­‐person	  footage	   as	   an	   empathic	   tool.	   Moreover,	   the	   artwork	   provides	   a	   multiplicity	   of	   self-­‐reflexive	  perspectives	   that	   functions	   as	   a	   form	   of	   disruptive	   montage	   subverting	   regular	   modes	   of	  perception.	   As	   Suhr	   and	   Willerslev	   (2013)	   have	   argued,	   montage	   offers	   a	   tool	   to	   break	   the	  mimetic	  dogma	  and	  make	  invisible	  social	  realities	  visible,	  so	  that	  the	  destabilization	  of	  common-­‐sense	  perception	  could	  transcend	  cultural	  boundaries.	  The	  analysis	  reveals	  that	  the	  subversive	  potential	  of	  the	  Machine	  emerges	  in	  the	  somaesthetic	  fusion	  between	  subjective	  camera	  (as	  an	  empathic	  perspective)	  and	  sensorimotor	  destabilization,	  which	  provokes	  imaginary	  extension	  of	  one’s	   self	   in	   multiple	   versions.	   Conceptually	   these	   experiential	   dimensions	   resemble	   Mikhail	  Epstein’s	  understanding	  of	  transculturality	  as	  the	  freedom	  to	  be	  different	  from	  others,	  as	  well	  as	  from	   one’s	   own	   self	   (1995).	   The	   Machine	   also	   plays	   a	   subversive	   role	   by	   transgressing	  ideological	   boundaries	   and	   hierarchical	   dichotomies	   such	   as	   self/other,	   mind/body,	  organism/machine,	  male/female,	  which	  Donna	  Haraway	  has	  conceptualised	  via	  the	  metaphor	  of	  the	   ‘cyborg’	   (1984).	   Thus,	   the	   article	   establishes	   interconnections	   between	   Haraway’s	   cyborg	  manifesto	   and	   the	   transcultural	   paradigm,	   since	   both	   entail	   overcoming	   of	   essentialism	   and	  discursively	  produced	  binary	  oppositions.	  Key	  words:	  virtual	  empathy;	  transculturality;	  somaesthetics;	  The	  Machine	  to	  be	  Another;	  cyborg	  manifesto	  	  Dr	  Lora	  Markova	  Edge	  Hill	  University,	  United	  Kingdom	  https://www.edgehill.ac.uk/media/staff/dr-­‐lora-­‐markova/	  	  

Embodied transculturation and the subversive potential of virtual empathy in the interactive art project 'The Machine to be Another' (2014)

https://research.edgehill.ac.uk/ws/files/20086636/Film-Philosophy%202018%20Abstract_.pdf

Embodied transculturation and the subversive potential of virtual empathy in the interactive art project 'The Machine to be Another' (2014)

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

Edge Hill University Research Information Repository