Picturing Clouds of Unknowing: Photography, Lostness, and Cognitive Decline
(2024)
author(s): Lucy Carolan
published in: Research Catalogue
The central premise of this doctoral project is that the progressive cognitive ambiguity that is dementia can be creatively apprehended by way of lostness. As defined by Rebecca Solnit, ‘lost’ holds “...two disparate meanings. Losing things is about the familiar falling away, getting lost is about the unfamiliar appearing.” The initial hypothesis of this research was that in certain neurodegenerative conditions the familiar and unfamiliar can confoundingly combine, and that it’s through the lens of this particular combination that some comprehension of dementia as lived experience may be approached. The disorienting misperceptions most commonly encountered in cognitive decline are visual in nature. Given, then, that dementia reveals the importance of vision to perception, how may the photographic, with lostness as optic, be used to illuminate cognitive decline? In what ways can creatively visualising aspects of neurodegeneration in dementia inform understandings of its existential ambiguities?
Deciphering Persian Music: A Systematic Approach Through Modal Classification and Synthesis
(2024)
author(s): Bamdad Khoshghadami Hosseini, Soroosh Ghahramanloo
published in: Research Catalogue
This research aims to develop a comprehensive notation system for Persian music that supports improvisation, composition, and analysis of its modal aspects. By drawing parallels to how chord symbols function in jazz, the study introduces a system to denote pitch classes (maqām) and melodic contours (māyeh). Utilizing historical methodologies from Safī al-Dīn al-Urmawī's "Kitāb-i Advār", the research presents an innovative framework to represent modal cycles and microtonal nuances. As a case study, the 'Radif' of persian music is decoded and presented using this new system, demonstrating its practical application. The outcome is a detailed, practical guide that enhances the understanding and performance of Persian music, illustrated through examples of Setar improvisation and comparative analysis of melodic figures.
Keywords: Persian Music, Modality, Radif, Dastgah, Maqam, Improvisation
Berio Sequenza VIII: The violin’s journey through the music
(2024)
author(s): Sara Molina Castellote
published in: Codarts
The path that a musician traverses when starting and playing a new piece it’s a long process of discoveries and learning. In this case, this process is settled on a deep understanding and analysis of the Sequenza (that is based on Berio experts’ knowledge) and which supports the technical and musical decisions made for my approach to this piece. The steps are made by intervention cycles: the piece is divided in four big sections and each of them is addressed in one intervention cycle. The analysis of two important recordings of the piece was basic for this Research: Jean-Marie Conquer’s and Carlo Chiarappa’s (the latter one was the player that premiered the piece), and also the meetings that I had with some experts on this field: Joseph Puglia and Simone Fontanelli. I didn’t take the decision of starting to play this piece carelessly: it is a piece which requires a great deal of knowledge about violin technique and about contemporary music notation. The kind of work that I carried out was very helpful for me as a musician and as a violinist: I learnt about how to approach technically many problems that I can find, and how useful different sources can be which in other contexts I wouldn’t have considered as a learning source. This Research could be very useful for other musicians that are interested in Berio’s music, and of course for violin players who wonder how they can solve some of the problems that can be found on this or similar pieces.
10 - 10 - 10 Edgelands:
(2024)
author(s): O'Brien & O'Brien
published in: Research Catalogue
Operating at the intersection of fine art walking practice, psychogeography, critical animal studies and ecology, the practice of Deep Canine Topography seeks to reframe the humble act of the ‘walkies’ as a co-authored act of ‘making’ or ‘performing’ together.
As part of the practice based element of my PhD thesis, Deep Canine Topography, 10 - 10 - 10 Edge-lands, is a further investigation of the methodologies of Deep Canine Topography (O'Brien & O'Brien 2018). This series operates as a visual and sonic essay for each walk and explores memory, deep topographical imprints, and entropy between wild and post-industrial spaces and sub-urban sprawl, on the edge of the city of Leicester and the county of Leicestershire. During the 2020 Covid 19 pandemic lockdown, as part of permitted exercise, we undertook 10 Walks, of up to 10 miles, within a 10 mile circle of our home, just outside of the city centre. Covid 19 restrictions, remained in place in Leicester longer than in any other UK city or region.
Each title will take you to a different walk.
Click return to return to the title page.
Click Base Map to open a GoogleMap of the walk locations and GPS tracklogs (in a new window).
Clicking on the round MAP circle, on the title page, will take you to the central exposition of my PhD: Deep Canine Topography.
Deep Canine Topography: Re-connecting with the wild through the artistic practice of walking with companion animals.
(2024)
author(s): Darren O'Brien
published in: Research Catalogue
Operating at the intersection of fine art walking practice, psychogeography, critical animal studies and ecology, the practice of Deep Canine Topography seeks to reframe the humble act of the ‘walkies’ as a co-authored, multi-species act of ‘making’ and ‘performing’ together.
This exposition operates as a central point from which to explore a number of mini expositions, undertaken as part of my practice based PhD.
Instruction:
When you arrive at the page you can use the map legends as hyperlinks to navigate to random points, or the mouse/trackpad to move around the page. Alternatively, you can navigate the page via the page map in the collapsible header menu.
An accompanying soundscape will automatically play throughout and documents a single walk from the human sonic POV. You can leave this to play whilst exploring the canine POV videos or pause it if you wish.
Click on the videos to play and again to stop. You can play more than one at a time.
X returns to the map.
This central Exposition acts as a meeting point through which to explore various experiments in Deep Canine Topography. Titled hyperlinks navigate to individual mini expositions. Each mini exposition has a route back to the landing page via the round MAP link.
You may feel lost or disorientated at times, but don't worry, this is all part of the process of navigation and hopefully offers a playful interactive and performative meander.
PLEASE WEAR HEADPHONES: Headphones are advised throughout to explore the immersive sonic elements of some of the practice encounters.
environment embodiment - towards poetic narratives
(2024)
author(s): Fernanda Branco
published in: Research Catalogue
This exposition presents the PhD Artistic Research project environment embodiment - towards poetic narratives by Fernanda Branco at the Oslo National Academy of the Arts (2020-2024).
This artistic research explores experiential agency in encounters between body and environment. It draws from uncanny, embodied, and poetic perspectives and unfolds as a constellation of sympoietic practices.
PhD Supervisors:
Rebecca Hilton - Stockholm University of the Arts (2021-2024)
Gunhild Mathea Olaussen - KHiO (2021-2022)
Dora Garcia - KHiO (2023-2024)
Fernanda Branco has designed this exposition in collaboration with web designer Ellen Palmeira.
Illustrations by Aza
Drawings by Francisco Blixt
Cards and booklets designed by Amanda Costa
