SUPPORTING MATERIALS (thinking aesthetic thinking through aesthetic research practices) by Emma Cocker

thinking aesthetic thinking through aesthetic research practices is an artistic research project by Alex Arteaga, Emma Cocker, Nicole Wendel (with Sabine Zahn during the first phase), focused on the ways in which aesthetic research practices realise a specific form of thinking: aesthetic thinking. This exposition shares the research process of this collaborative project tracing its key phases between June 2020 - October 2022 and the gradual evolution of an original research dispositive or apparatus called Ecologies in Action. This exposition is conceived as Supporting Materials for a parallel article published in ______________.

Ecology in Action: (14.10.2022)

This Ecology in Action extends the focus of previous Ecologies: How to practise with heightened awareness or sensitivity to the mode of attentiveness / connection between practices: (A) Separation (autonomy) – that is, each individual practises in isolation from others’ practice, by not being affected or in touch with the other practices, but rather highly immersed/absorbed by their own singular practice; (B) Parallel (Open, in touch) – that is, to practise with awareness and openness to others’ practices but not directly interacting with them.(C) Interwoven (interaction) – that is, to be influenced by and interact with others' practices, open to affecting and being affected by the others’ practices and practising. (D) Observation/stepping out (fully other-regarding): to fully attend through observation to the others' practices. Some new variations were introduced within this specific Ecology in Action, including a increase from 5 to 6 separate screens/devices, and the introduction of 'taping' the camera to signal/differentiate between a voiced practice (including the Practices of Reading, Voiced Observation, Conversation) which are indicated through the camera being masked/taped; and the Practice of Stepping Out where the screen is 'inactive' and remains solid black.

* Format/Focus: A 50-minute unstructured Ecology in Action.

* Practices are not disclosed at the outset of practising.

* The Ecology in Action involves an undisclosed number of practices which are not identified in advance (other than being ‘not new’ - ie. they are already described through the "scores" outlined in SINGLE PRACTICES).

* The practices are activated as three explorations (by 3 different persons).

Following the Ecology in Action we retrospectively declared that the following practices had been activated:

Practices in alphabetical order

- Practice of Conversation

- Practice of Exploratory Essay Writing (Live Writing)

- Practice of Explorative Drawing

- Practice of Material Encounter

- Practice of Reading: Noticing Attraction and Distillation (Text source: Transcript from previous Ecology in Action 13.09.2022)

- Practice of Stepping Back

- Practice of Transcription

- Practice of Very Slow Video Observation

- Practice of Body in Relation - Video as a Physical Extension

Notes

* The Practice of Transcription had multiple sources, including the recorded conversation taking place after the Ecology in Action from the last meeting 13.09.2022, alongside listening to the unfolding live practices within the current Ecology in Action.

* The Practice of Reading uses as its source text the transcription of the Ecology in Action from 13.09.2022

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