Research Catalogue

This exposition is documentation of practice elements and research procedures as part of my PhD: Alternative to What? Exploring Alternative Art Schools Through Spatiality, Participation and Performative Tools. The work presented is a form of immersive and deep mapping of the alternative art school and art pedagogies. For an optimal viewing experience, it is recommended to utilise the Chrome web browser.

This is an open-ended project or research process around extremely slow growth, and the contact between glass and biological material. It aims to implement a model of un-synchronisation, perhaps through the form of a modular installation. The “narrative” and linear scale of materials is reworked to transplant them into a spatial setting where individual nodes embody and reinterpret parts of these materials, creating a field of sonic or visual encounters.

"Unlike unrealized architectural projects, which are frequently exhibited and circulated, unrealized artworks tend to remain unnoticed or little known. But perhaps there is another form of artistic agency in the partial expression, the incomplete idea, the projection of a mere intention? Agency of Unrealized Projects (AUP) seeks to document and display these works, in this way charting the terrain of a contingent future." From AUP-eflux Archive In painting, the artist can also be a model for the artwork. In performance art, artist and model come together for the performance. The exposition explores the role of figuration in contemporary art, at the same time posing questions about physical beauty, from the artist's perspective. I set out to examine how to illustrate beauty, while challenging norms and stereotypes of who is perceived as beautiful. I explore the notion of love, in a complementary manner, also in this exposition, as I do in subsequent expositions. Some of the material was selected for my participation, with my artistic pseudonym, Betty Nigianni, in conceptual artist's Janine Antoni workshop, "Loving Care", Performance Matters: Performing Idea, Toynbee Studios, Whitechapel Gallery, London, 2010 With essay about Marina Abramovic's work, published at eflux/Art and Education papers, 2012; originally presented as a conference paper at the Yale Centre for British Art, 2010, slides including the artist's writings. Fragments of the research for the installation project, developed in the studio and through my participation in urban research workshops, have been archived at AUP-eflux Archive.

As a tourist in London during the late 17th century, it was mandatory to visit the House of Bedlam, the biggest mental institution in the city. The patients, being considered completely unreasonable, were attributed animalic characteristics, which was reflected in the brutal treatment behind the bars. The ultimate mirroring of the culture of exposing madness could be found in the theatre. Composers for the theatre, in wanting to explore the inability of reason in humanity, wrote The Mad Songs, where the madness is reflected in quick shifts in emotions. These songs have been my tool to gain access to a broader palette of expression in singing. I have developed a handbook of historically informed techniques and documented my process of embodying them, using sources such as Le Brun's "Conférence (...)" (1698); Walter Charleton's "Natural History of the Passions" (1701); Aaron Hill's "The Art of Acting" (1753); and George Vandenhoff's "The Art of Elocution" (1846). My quest for madness has also become a quest for genuinity. When Charles Le Brun conveyed his theory of expression on canvas, he strongly distinguished the difference between painting tense muscles and painting genuine expression. This has become a guideline for my research: in order to gain genuinity, one has to channel a reaction and produce an impulse. This study is an attempt to bridge the gap between now and then, allowing for a deeper understanding of the Mad Songs, as well as encouraging others to dive into theatrical repertoire on its own premises.

This research and project will aim to answer the question "How can I run an effective workshop for students on the Natural Horn?". In preparing for a workshop, I will explore what to include to give young students from age 9 and up a fun and interesting learning experience. Students will be able to build their own horns from hosepipes and funnels, and then experiment and perform with these instruments and hopefully leave inspired in their own journeys with the early horn. I aim to document the necessary elements to create an interactive and educational experience.

This research explores the use of allegory and symbolism in Johann Sebastian Bach’s Six Solo Violin Sonatas and Partitas (BWV 1001-1006). The central inquiry is how Bach incorporated European allegorical and symbolic ideas into his music. Key aspects of this investigation include understanding how Bach applied symbolism through ornamentation, tonality, and numerical values. The study raises several questions: What were the common allegorical ideas in Europe at the time? Is there a consecutive story behind the Sei Solo? How do symbols relate to the piece? Additionally, it will examine how allegories (which is more common in literature and art) manifest in his Sei Solo through musical gestures like messa di voce, harmony hierarchies, and inflections. This research is dedicated to all the curious minds exploring allegory and symbolism in music—from those newly discovering J.S. Bach to devoted Bach lovers, students, and professionals.