how to strike roots into the void – a trapeze artists view on artistic processes as permacultural growing

Carmen Raffaela Küster

This project researches body and object relationships through practical exploration (practice-led research) in suspension and on the ground. It illuminates connected thoughts linked to posthuman philosophy, permaculture, physical movement and contemporary circus. Our perception of the world is getting more global and connected, but we have not realised yet the full complexity of all the interdependencies and interplays. In fact it is more than questionable whether this might be graspable for any human to its full extend at all… The state of being ‘in suspension’ is taken as an analogy for the times we live in – life itself. In a world in which pop-stars sing ‘I have no roots’ (Merton, 2016), mass-migration makes people leave their homes involuntarily and others choose nomadic livestyles that leave them only loosely connected with a geographical place and a single culture. But at the same time, we are always tightly connected (digitally) with ‘the whole world’. 'How to strike roots into the void?' is the essential question of this interdisciplinary research, which has its roots deep 'down' in aerial acrobatic movement. How could this rooting be possible at all? And in which ways? – referring to the question of quality: 'HOW' can we in these times as human being strike out our own roots? Who and what can keep us grounded? To whom or what are we reaching out to search for connection? What nourishes us? And where to hold on to, if the substrate is emptiness – the Void – the uncertainty of life itself?

introduction | how to navigate this exposition | WELCOME

Welcome to this exposition of my artistic research around the question: 'how to strike roots into the void?'.

My name is Carmen, I am a circus artist and aerial performer with a background in design. I started this research with a curiousity to find new approaches in object and body relationships. On this Intro page, that is also working as a 'table of content', you can get an overview of this RC documentation of my research – how it is structured, on which page you can find which content. The same way as this Artsitic Research developed in non-linear ways, also this documentation will unfold to you in rather unusual and rhizomatic forms. I hope you enjoy discovering, have some food for thought and make your own connections....

the SEED | starting point

this is about the origins of this artistic research project, how it all started and what can be considered the essence of it. Let the seed reveal its secrets to you...

the FRUIT | findings & outcomes

here you will find a selection of the outcomes, the biggest findings that emerged in the process of this research. You are very welcome to have a look at my harvest by clicking on 'the fruits'...

the VOID in Aerial Acrobatics & Artistic Research

HOW | METHODOLOGY

learn about the issue of methodology in artistic research, why I really like to get my hands dirty and dig deep and how I transferred the concept of permaculture design as a method of sustainability to the realm of movement creation.

Striking Roots | CONTEXT | links & connections

in this section I will share a selection of the most exiting links and connections to the bigger picture – the world outside the circus, how my research relates to other fields of art and knowledge. You can follow my thoughts striking their roots out and maybe discover your own connections...

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