The Centre for Contemporary and Digital Performance

2006. 2007. 2008 . 2009. 2009-10 . 2010-11 .2011-12. 2012-13 . 2013-14 . 2014-15

Performance Research Seminar Series

spring - autumn 2007

School of Arts – Brunel University – West London

The public is invited to participate in this series of encounters, lectures, screenings, physical and new media workshops and discussions, focussed on new thinking in performance practices, interactivity, technologies, digital/scientific creativity, and cultural production. The lunch time lectures coincide with the Drama Research Seminar series organized by Sue Broadhurst.

For more information contact 01895 267 343 .........Admission free.......... Location: Cleveland Rd, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB8 3PH

 

winter-spring 2007

Research Performance Seminars / Physical Performance Workshops

 

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Research Performance Seminar GB 117 1-2 pm

Kira O'Reilly

"Marsyas - running out of skin : An account of making and unmaking, how to have a body, from the integral to the cellular and back again - almost"

 

Workshop in Physical Performance

utterances of fleshiness

Much of my work involves attempts to engage with an enmeshment of the material and metaphorical, collapses between body and language; attempts of to stumble upon utterances of fleshiness and corporeal mutterings towards some kind of astonishment. This workshop will initiate investigations for individuals alone and in small collaborative groups to penetrate those interfaces through experiments with writing, drawing, actions and physical enquiries.

directed by Kira O'Reilly 17:oo Ð 20:oo

Chadwick Building, downstairs dance studio

 

 

Wednesday, May 2, 2007

Igor Stromajer

(Ljubljana)

with Brane Zorman t (Ljubljana)

"ballettikka internettikka": tactical art interventions

Drama Studio GB048 13:00-14:oo

Ballettikka Internettikka by Igor Stromajer, Brane Zorman in collaboration with Bojana Kunst is a series of tactical art projects which began in 2001 with the exploration of internet ballet. It explores wireless internet ballet performances combined with guerrilla tactics and mobile live internet broadcasting strategies.

Igor Stromajer is an intimate mobile communicator. His internet and multimedia projects research tactical emotional states, intimate political guerrilla, and traumatic low-tech strategies. He researches tactical emotional states and traumatic low-tech strategies. Exhibits worldwide. His works are included in the permanent collections of the Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris; the Museo Nacional Reina Sofia, Madrid; Moderna galerija Ljubljana; Computerfinearts - net and media art collection, New York, etc.

Brane Zorman is a composer and sound manipulator. Between 1982 and 1986 he was frontman for the Slovene punk group O!KULT. He is a pioneer of the Slovene techno scene. Since 1987 he has been composing music for both Slovene and international theatre, dance and multimedia performances and projects, and has made guest appearances throughout Europe.

 

Summer 2007

Stelarc

Walking Head

The Center plans to prepare a four-week exhibition of Stelarc's robotic sculpture, linking its display at the BITlab with an interdisciplinary laboratory on software design and development of new functionalities for the robot.

BITLab

 

 

Autumn 2007

Research Performance Seminars / Physical Performance Workshops

 

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Research Performance Seminar GB 117 1-2 pm

Susan Kozel

"Wearables: The Flesh of Social Computing

The trajectory of convergence between bodies and technologies culminating in wearable computing is the topic of this research seminar -- miniaturized, embedded, wireless computers worn on, and warmed by, the body, enhancing abilities to transport, store, communicate, and modify personal data.

This research seminar is based on Kozel's forthcoming book, Closer: Performance, Technologies, Phenomenology (MIT Press, 2007). For more information on projects see http://www.meshperformance.org and http://whisper.iat.sfu.ca

Susan Kozel is a dancer, choreographer, and writer creating at the interface between live performance and digital technologies. Working in England, Europe, Scandinavia and Canada, she collaborates with digital artists, software engineers, architects, and composers to create performances and installations. Using a wide range of sensing and interactive technologies (including motion capture, computer vision, wearable computers and telematics) she preserves a distinctly body-centered approach to the use of technologies. With a PhD in philosophy, she continues to refine phenomenology as a meaningful methodology for understanding experiments across performance and technologies. She is the director of Mesh Performance Practices (UK) and is Principal Researcher with the SMARTlab at the University of East London.

 

Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Research Performance Workshop for MA students in Performance Making

Kira O'Reilly

 

Wednesday November 14

Research Performance Seminar GB 117 1-2 pm Gaskell Building 048 - Drama Studio

Karolina Bieszczad-Roley

'Photographing Performance - between the audience and the performers '

 

Thursday November 22, 2007, 10.00am - 3pm

PHD Salon

The first PhD postgraduate gathering intended to encourage peer-to-peer exchange and reflections on practice-based research. There is an exciting diversity of research being explored within the "Drama" department at Brunel University . We envision a shared process that includes feedback on content, reflection on research processes and articulation of individual research questions and outcomes. In order to initiate this process and include your thoughts on that subject matter we organize a new platform - The PHD SALON.

The key proposition for the event is to discuss research. In this sense we ask you to contribute on two levels: to introduce your own research as well as being prepared to respond to the thoughts of others. In the coming month expect to hear from us with a more detailed structure for a platform of exchange. For now we would like to trigger some thoughts for a shared discussion: We assume that all of you are involved in practice-based research.

The challenge to combine the dichotomy between the two activities - theory and practice- ask for specific working methods. What are the inventions you make for generating working environments in which your research-creation takes place? Does collaboration play a role in your process and if so how? What structures, even outside of academia, are important for your process of exploration?

The SALON is a one-day event and will take place from 12.00am Ð 6pm, Thursday November 22, 2007 at the Department for Contemporary Drama and Performance Studies on the campus of Brunel University. The salon will be followed by a relaxed talk and drink.

Coordinators: Karolina Bieszczad-Roley and Marion Traenkle

contact: phd.salon@google.com

 

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Research Performance Seminar GB 048 Drama Studio 1-2 pm

Workshop 5 - 8 pm Drama Studio

Toni Dove

.

ÔSpectropia - Experiments in Responsive Narrative: Haunting the MovieÕ

Toni Dove's evening workshop on her spectropic interactice narrative cinema installation and audience participation techniques, with students from the MA Performance Making and MA Digital Performance modules

.

 

* * *

Future Plans

Performance Project

Marion Tränkle

ANI_MATE

Photo: Annette Kamerich

 

ANI_MATE is a big and slightly old-fashioned machine with distinct but limited functions. It was designed to animate images by touch. But due to its limited possibilities, it needs the imagination of the spectator and a virtuous operator to create the illusion of movement. ANI_MATE exposes the relationship between the physical animated image, the functionalism of a machine and the stagnant body. Finally, the images come to move, escaping into the third dimension and get to tell their story.

concept, design, visuals: Marion Tränkle

concept, system design, electronics: Jim Ruxton

sound: Leon Spek

advice: Nicola Unger

ANI_MATE was first shown at Theater Gasthuis in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, and will now be revised for showings in the UK. The PI for the project, Marion Tränkle, is a PhD student in Performance at Brunel University. She is researching the iterative design in the composition of responsive architecture.

The Center plans to stage a colloquium on interactive performance architectures, with Center researchers, doctoral students working on practice-based research projects, and invited guests

 

This project is proposed for initiating the renovated new southside studios of the BoilerHaus after its completion in 2008

 

 

(c) 2007 The Center for Contemporary and Digital Performance, Johannes Birringer (acting director)