Lecturer: Christian Doeller
Times: Thursday 13:30 - 16:30
Venue: To Be Announced
First meeting: April 18, 13:30
Description:
How can we physically immerse ourselves in the non-human protagonists in our environment? How can we approach otherness and develop empathy, what tools do we need and what can we learn about ourselves in the process?
The seminar "Embodiment Toolkit" is an immersive experiment in which we ourselves become the test objects: we re-enact the role of the Other. The goals of our performative research process are a change of perspective and the exploration of new spaces of experience.
Our starting point are non-human beings, things and technologies from our everyday environment. We explore different speculative strategies to closely observe, describe and systematically analyze these role models. Ultimately, we translate our assumptions into simple guidelines for performative exercises and role plays, which we carry out and evaluate together in the group. We either only act within the limits of our own physiological capabilities or with the help of interactive tools from the world of DIY electronics.
Our weekly meetings mainly consist of performative experiments outside the seminar room; here we attempt to swap roles, and test, document and discuss our ideas and prototypes. On the other hand, we engage with related artistic and theoretical positions. We will get in touch with individual ideas and approaches, for example from the fields of systems theory, embodiment, media- and performance art. The course ultimately aims at the independent conception of interactive performative exercises, which will be carried out together with visitors during the upcoming Summaery exhibition.
Requirements for participation: enthusiasm for interaction, systems thinking, play and performative practice. Regular attendance, short presentation on a topic of your choice, conception of a performative exercise, upload of documentation to the GMU media wiki. Open to all disciplines and semesters, no prior knowledge necessary.
Registration by Sunday (April 7) via e-mail, subject "Embodiment Toolkit", with a short letter of motivation (3-4 sentences) to christian.doeller@uni-weimar.de.