Quest for a Breathing Performance
(2019)
author(s): Anu Vehviläinen
published in: RUUKKU - Studies in Artistic Research
In this exposition, I study the concept of ‘experimentation’ in artistic research. I describe how the interdisciplinary collaboration of the Silence Ensemble influenced a violin-piano recital through both conscious and unintentional experimentation.
The focus of the experimentation is on the ‘now-moment’. A detailed explanation of the technical practicing process before the concert is also offered to introduce the experimental approach.
To define my individual experimentation, I refer to experimentation studies in artistic research and especially to Bart Vanhecke’s concepts of experimentation ‘in’ and ‘through’ art.
[in situ] : re-thinking the role of musical improvisation performance in the context of the ecological and cultural crisis.
(last edited: 2023)
author(s): Barbierato Leonardo
This exposition is in review and its share status is: visible to all.
If there is one thing that complexity theory has taught us, it is to consider phenomena not as isolated events with properties of their own, but to observe them from a different perspective: as relations in a vast network of interdependent systems. In this light, the role of contemporary music performance has changed, and will continue to change, precisely because the context in which it is created and takes place is constantly evolving. Artistic research can provide the tools to be aware of these changes and to actively re-act in this changing context, not by simply transposing the context or its elements into a representational or aesthetic framework, as happened with the avant-gardes of the 20th century, but by breaking cultural boundaries through transpositions into distant fields with isomorphic functional principles. It is precisely because of this characteristic, which reveals the intrinsic interdisciplinarity in artistic research, that it is possible to revolutionize the traditional conception of music performance and not confine it to an aesthetic regime, but rather expand it to include the context. However, since relationships are not unambiguous, it is not just a matter of revising the concept of performance, but also of reviewing the way we experience and live in the context, as artists, as human beings, and as elements of a circuit of which we are only a small part. In this paper, I will first examine how environmental and social changes have been reflected in performative changes and the ways in which the context of the ecological crisis and contemporary performance are interrelated. Then, I will focus on my research project, “[in situ]”, highlighting its site/situation-specificity, flexibility, immersivity, and interactivity, and explaining how it aligns with and differs from other contemporary music performance practices.
Exploring Japanese (Inspired) Music
(last edited: 2023)
author(s): Martine Mussies
This exposition is in review and its share status is: visible to all.
Objective:
This proposed exposition aims to critically examine the pitfalls of Orientalism and Occidentalism within the context of artistic research in music. By delving into the complexities of cultural representation and misrepresentation, it seeks to challenge preconceived notions and foster a more nuanced understanding of cross-cultural musical encounters.
Methodology:
Comparative Analysis: Through an in-depth comparative analysis, I will investigate the ways in which Orientalism and Occidentalism manifest in music performance practices. Drawing on diverse musical traditions, including Japanese influences, I will explore the power dynamics, stereotypes, and misappropriations that can arise when engaging with cultural musical expressions.
Sonic Experimentation:
Building on my expertise as a professional musician, I will create original compositions and sonic installations inspired by the concepts of wabi sabi, mono no aware, and ma. These explorations will serve as sonic reflections on the intricate relationship between artistic research, cultural heritage, and personal interpretation, allowing for a deeper engagement with the complexities of musical representation.
Critical Reflection:
Throughout the exposition, I will engage in critical reflection on my own artistic practice, acknowledging and addressing the potential biases, blind spots, and unintended consequences that can arise when navigating the cultural landscape of music. By scrutinizing my own work and interrogating the underlying assumptions, I aim to foster a greater awareness of the ethical and social implications inherent in artistic research.
Expected Contributions:
Providing insights into the manifestations of Orientalism and Occidentalism within music performance practices and their impact on cultural representation.
Illuminating the potential pitfalls of cultural appropriation and misinterpretation in artistic research, while proposing alternative approaches that embrace collaboration and respectful dialogue.
Fostering critical dialogue within the field, encouraging fellow artists and researchers to engage in self-reflection and thoughtful engagement with cultural differences.
Audience Engagement:
To ensure a broad and inclusive audience engagement, I plan to organize interactive workshops and performances, inviting participants to immerse themselves in the sounds and stories that emerge from my artistic research. By actively involving the audience, I aim to facilitate meaningful conversations about cultural exchange, representation, and the potential transformative power of music.
Anticipated Impact:
This exposition seeks to challenge established paradigms, disrupt Orientalist and Occidentalist frameworks, and promote a more equitable and culturally sensitive approach to artistic research in music. By critically examining the pitfalls of cultural misrepresentation, it aims to contribute to a more inclusive and respectful musical landscape that celebrates diversity and fosters cross-cultural understanding.
The exposition Hard Times: Lecture performance as gestural approach to developing artistic work-in-progress is relevant regarding the idea of the Ruukku vol 5 Call for Papers. In the Call the editors point out that the concept of ”a gesture” is wide: sometimes accurate and sometimes “empty”.
The writer understands the lecture performance itself as a gesture:
“The exposition suggests that this type of lecture performance (…) forms a gestural method of artistic research in itself (Hübner, summary).” The exposition also deals with a musician’s physical gestures in an interesting way, which adds another perspective on the concept of “a gesture”.
The overall readability is good: the exposition benefits from the possibilities of a multimedia publication. For instance the videos and other links are easy to read with the body text.
The idea of sharing an incomplete artwork and the process of research with the audience is inspiring. This removes the unnecessary mystique from the artistic work and offers plenty of new perspectives: it benefits both the artist and the member of the audience. The artist’s relationship with the audience is an area, which still lacks research, though the art scene has shown an interest towards this topic during recent years. The exposition encourages the artists to find new research methods in the area of interaction with the audience.
The artistic performance itself – what the musician actually did with the music coming from the loudspeakers – was quite interesting. The capability of the percussionist to “play” the music without the instruments was astonishing.
In this exposition the writer puts together the art making and the research process. There is the musical-choreographical work Hard Times, which is studied and which is still in process. On the other hand, there is the lecture performance, which tries to show the audience what kind of a work there is (in process) and what theoretical questions there are connected to it. The exposition does not discuss the actual artistic-research process much – such as how does the composer-designer make his artistic decisions during the research process. It is possible that the actual lecture performance explained a great deal about the theoretical ideas behind the artistic work. If so, the audience is more informed about process than the reader of this exposition.
The methods used in this research are only little articulated. The writer probably means that the lecture performance itself is a method, but the methodological strategies should be explained in a more detailed way.
The discussion with “informed audience” is underlined in the exposition: the reader gets an impression that the audience has a lot to do with the process. Nevertheless, this discussion with the audience stays mysterious in the exposition. Only two topics, “the exhaustion” and the “imperfection”, are discussed, but the audience’s role is still not clear. “Positive feedback” doesn’t clarify sufficiently the audience’s impact.
If the writer is willing to develop the research project further, it might benefit several art areas, especially the performing arts such as theatre, music, dance etc. The exposition refers also to the artist-audience relationship, though yet quite vaguely. The writer collaborates with a musician, a percussionist, and it would be essential to point out how music would learn from this research.
The exposition discusses the research questions in a slightly unclear way. The core topic is the lecture performance as a performance of a work (called Hard Times) and as an example of artistic research. What is actually studied about the lecture performance is not analysed in a detailed manner. On the other hand, the exposition offers an interesting insight into the concepts of lecture performance as well as musical choreography. The video links help to read the whole exposition.
The exposition discusses quite clearly about the tradition of the key concept, “lecture performance”. It presents also some theoretical thinking about identity (Butler). In the beginning of the text the writer discusses about the tradition of artistic research, but this discussion could be more detailed. The exposition presents fruitfully other artists’ works (in text links, videos), which are related to this particular research.
The artistic performance (the percussionist playing without instruments, with the loudspeakers) is very interesting, virtuosic and fascinating. This exposition’s clear strength is the way it introduces this kind of art in general. The knowledge on the actual research topic, the lecture performance, is not shared enough.
I would like to encourage the writer to go deeper with this research. Maybe there is a lot of information, which was dealt during the actual lecture performance but is not fully articulated in this written text. I would also like to know a lot more about the artistic decisions, which were made based on the discussion with audience. The new ideas, decisions and changes in an artist’s routine are the most interesting moments in regarding the artistic research.
I interpret this exposition more as a report of an interesting process than a research article. The exposition is one medium of introducing a very interesting artistic-research work: composing + designing musical choreography.
Anu Vehviläinen