Research Catalogue

VESTÍGIOS SOLTOS – PERFORMANCE Helsínquia, Finlândia

Solarization: a partially exposed film is exposed to more light, with halo-like effects as a result. Solarization, Solaris, sun / shadow, light / darkness. Colors are experiences of light, on surfaces that hit the eye with different wavelengths. Digital solarization evens out and inverts the colors. A small, superfluous, torn off silk remnant from a hand-printed textile work is the starting point for this two two-sided digitally printed textiles. Colors lose their brillians and darken in step with the light. No darkness without light, no shadow without sun. Two sides of the same coin.

ARTikulationen 2023 is an artistic research event conceived and organised by the Doctoral School for Artistic Research (KWDS) of the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz (KUG). It takes place at Theater im Palais, Graz, 04–07 October 2023. ARTikulationen interweaves in-depth presentations of very recent artistic research and findings, a festival character, and a mini-symposium – this year on matters of interdisciplinarity and interconnectedness of research practices with the (sound) environment, nature, and other living beings („Researching Across“).

The project explores the artistic potential of unpredictability, specifically within the context of electronic music. By referring to an original instrument design—including programming a number of randomized systems—a series of compositions for keyboard instruments were developed. The central theme is the relationship between dialogue and loss of control during the creative process. This project was documented intermediately with new music, as well as technological and procedural reflections.

In this exposition, Falk Hübner and Heleen de Hoon share the process and reflections of their collaborative research project "Running Tilburg". In this project, Falk aimed to connect to an urban surrounding by means of long distance running. In September 2021, Falk Hübner started his work as professor of Artistic Connective Practices at Fontys Academy of the Arts in Tilburg, The Netherlands. Together with dramaturge Heleen de Hoon, he decided to get to know and connect to the city and the new surroundings by running it, and explore running as a connective practice - literally through spending time with feet on the ground. Heleen and Falk asked a group of colleagues, all living in the city, to share places to run by, and related stories to these places. Guided by these stories Falk and Heleen created a map and a script for a 53K run, documented by video, photos and field notes. Rather than presenting conclusive findings and final reflections, the purpose of this exposition is to share the documentation of the process and the experience. Thus, we understand the project and this exposition quite literally as a first step to lead to potentially next and new steps.

This project investigates Western musical instruments as being critical and even dangerous sites, which should be approached with the greatest of caution. Approached as liminal interfaces between the living and the dead, suspended between past(s) and present(s), turning these instruments into both paranormal and parasitic sites, which should be treated as such. Instruments as pathological contaminated bodies of parasitic discourse ready to jump at you and embed themselves in you, sedimenting within you and, subsequently, playing you. Instruments as haunted sites saturated with ghostlike matters of toxoplasmatic ectoplasm, fostering ghosts with the capacity to possess and inflict pain on to other bodies, active in the past as well in the present. With an interest in the notion of instrumentalization and what instruments can mean, control, and do to bodies, instruments are approached from a safe(r) distance through different (group) interventions, raising questions on how best to emolliate and soften the instrumental body? How to soften the big silent? How to soften the sedimented?