“The Performative Biofact”

Lucie Strecker

Since the 20th century the relationship between ecology and the arts has increasingly shaped various concepts of performance art. These have developed training and working systems such as biomechanics, somatic dance techniques or psychological realistic acting methods (Giannachi and Steward 2005) based on the analysis of natural phenomena. However, the life sciences have fundamentally changed what we understand by nature and ecology and, as the philosopher and biologist Nicole C. Karafyllis explains, the Aristotelian demarcation between nature and technology as a separation between what grows and what does not is no longer valid. Agri-technology and biotechnology methods such as genetic engineering or cloning mean that life forms can to a great extent also be artificial or technological. Consequently, this project, “The Performative Biofact”, aims to rethink and practically research this relationship. The theories of new materialism, and in particular the work of the scientist Karen Barad, who questions the dichotomy between ontology and epistemology, open up new perspectives on the relationship between material and performativity, which have previously only been partially taken into account in performance theory and practice. This project is developing a new experimental process involving the provocative production of a semi-artificial, semi-natural being, with the equal treatment of apparatus, humans and non-humans. In Nicole C. Karafyllis’s terminology, the hybrid being that is to be created, whose ontological status alternates between animate and inanimate, can be described as a biofact. We question the history that the performative production of material derives from and how technological renewal will change our understanding of ecology and art in future. This takes place through the inclusion of historical, culturally relevant relics. New biofacts will be created out of this biological, animalistic material. In this interaction between the human and technology, the figure of the animal also enters the process. Thereby we seek to avoid a solely anthropocentric perspective on the process and foster new creative solutions. The challenge is to avoid the anthropomorphising of the animal, and instead to liberate it from its passive position as the exploited “other”. The set-up to be developed together with the co-researchers in this project is intended to unite transdisciplinary methods of archaeology, performance, molecular biology and genetics. Through the concept of performative creation of a biofact in a model experiment, new scope for action and perception arises and offers opportunities to continue the research on the constantly changing relationship between ecology and the arts. Cooperation Partners: Felix Grun, PhD Director MS Facility, Department of Chemistry, University of California IrvineIrvine Dr. Jens Hauser University of Copenhagen, Department of Arts and Cultural Studies & Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences - Medical Museion Risa Puleo Curator, Bemis Center for Contemprorary Art, Omaha, Nebraska Dr. Mark Rinnerthaler Universität Salzburg, FB-Zellbiologie/Abt. Genetik Dr. Markus Schmidt BIOFACTION KG, Wien Prof. Dr. Klaus Spiess Medizinische Universität Wien, Institut für medizinische Psychologie, Zentrum für Public Health Prof. Paul Vanouse Department of Art, Director of Coalesce Center for Biological Art, University at Buffalo Prof. Victoria Vesna UCLA Art/Sci Center, California Center for Human - Computer Interaction, University Salzburg

The Performative Biofact

Since the 20th century the relationship between ecology and the arts has become increasingly crucial to various concepts of performativity. From this relationship training- and working systems developed, like biomechanics, somatic dance techniques or psychological realistic acting methods (Giannachi and Steward 2005). As the life sciences have fundamentally changed what is understood by the terms nature and ecology, however, this relationship is to be rethought throughout this project and practically researched, because the Aristotelian demarcatio between nature and technology as a separation between what grows and what does not is no longer valid as the Philosopher and Biologist Nicole C. Karafyllis explains. She further states that as a result of the methods of agri-technology and biotechnology such as genetic engineering or cloning, life forms can to a great extent also be artificial or technological.

The canon of ideas of new materialism, and in particular the theories of the scientist Karen Barad, who questions the dichotomy between ontology and epistemology, open up new perspectives on the relationship between material and performativity, which have previously only been partially taken into account in the field of performative practice.

With the design of an experimental process and the provocative production of a semi-artificial, semi-natural being and the equal treatment of apperatuses, humans and non-humans we question the history that the performative production of material goes back to and how its alteration through technological renewal will in future change our understanding of ecology and art

Thereby we seek to avoid a sole anthropocentric core area in the experimental setting and foster new creative solutions. We will be challenged to circumvent an anthropomorphization of the animal, but instead to liberate it from its passive position of being the exploited „other“. The set-up to be developed together with the co-researchers in this project is intended to unite transdisciplinary methods of archeology, performance, molecular biology and genetics. Through the concept of performative creation of a Biofact in a model set-up new scope for action and perception raise and offer opportunities to continue the research on the relation between ecology and the arts, which is constantly in flux.

Published texts on this project:

Klaus Spiess& Lucie Strecker, "In/valuable Hare's Blood", Performance Research a Journal of the Perfoeming Arts, Volume 2, Issue 22.2.

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13528165.2017.1315989

Klaus Spiess & Lucie Strecker, "Transmaterial Becomings", Performance Reserach a Journal of the Performing Arts, Volume 21, Issue 5

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13528165.2016.1223453

Website: http://www.luciestrecker.com

The Performative Biofact is conducted in cooperation with:

Daniel Aschwanden (CH), performance artist, Alexander Bailey (UK), performance artist, Jens Hauser (DE), University of Copenhagen, Department of Arts and Cultural Studies & Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences - Medical Museion, Kira Kirsch (DE), Brut Künstlerhaus Vienna, Kroot Jurak (EE), performance artist, Martin Murer (AT), Center for Human - Computer Interaction, University Salzburg, Risa Puleo (US), Curator, Bemis Center for Contemprorary Art, Omaha, Nebraska, Mark Rinnerthaler (AT), University Salzburg, Cellbiology and Genetics, Markus Schmidt (AT), BIOFACTION KG, Vienna, Klaus Spiess (AT), Vienna Medical University, Institut for medical Psychology, Center for Public Health, Paul Vanouse (US), Department of Art, Coalesce Center for Biological Art, University at Buffalo, Victoria Vesna (US), Art/Sci Center, University of California, Los Angeles, Ann Liv Young (US), performance artist

Funded by: Elise-Richter-Peek, FWF Austria

Tip

Tip