DOWNLOAD Excited Atoms - On the Move

After each networked performance I feel the very strong wish to do something very, very solitary. Because I find
virtual networking emotionally quite consuming.
Susanne Berkenheger
interdisciplinary_transdisciplinary
Many artists and companies working in this area do not identify with ‘traditional’ artform disciplines.
This is increasingly the case across all arts disciplines and responsive funding programmes and policy
reflect the contemporary artistic reality.
In some countries and regions, falling between designated funding areas can mean that such work is
not eligible for subsidy and more traditional forms are favoured. However, it may also present
opportunities and can mean that artists and companies have enormous flexibility in how and where
they present and position themselves, enabling them to reach multiple audiences, enjoy acclaim in
different fields and be strategic in how they engage with policy and debate. Defying conventional
artform categories can lead to greater visibility and an enlarged action radius.
For example, the UK-based Blast Theory’s work is presented as interactive theatre in the British
Council’s connected showcase in the Tokyo Performing Arts Market, is exhibited in world
contemporary art museums, art fairs and biennales; it has won a major new media award (Prix Ars
Electronica), a US game developer award (Maverick Award) and been nominated for four national
BAFTA theatre awards. The company performs on traditional stages and in the streets (and spaces
in between); Blast Theory artists receive regular invitations to collaborate with television and radio;
have curated a video programme at Tate Modern; take the lead in science-art research projects; and
contribute to academic publications and teaching.
Transdisciplinarity is a recurrent theme, describing how virtual mobility work can benefit from
opportunities to collaborate with other non-arts disciplines:
We are exploring types of learning and body perception therapy in interactive virtual environments. Today we
know: virtual environments are comparable to completely new instruments. They can be used for the
exploration, testing and learning of new body languages, the interrelationship of movements and mental
connections. It is a place where highly complex and trans-disciplinary relationships between art, technology
(body) perception, psychology and trans-local identity as well as physical presence and re-presence come
about.
Klaus Nicolai
In some countries, university media research labs and arts-science programmes have provided
opportunities for transdisciplinary collaboration. One of the biggest use of telematics worldwide is
in medicine, for realtime skills transfer of top global experts in complex surgical operations, and the
use of virtual environments in medical training is now compulsory (you train on the virtual body
before you are allowed to do it on the real body!!). In many cases the interactive performing arts
can benefit from research and development already done in other fields.
participation and audiences
There is a growing awareness of the one-way form of virtual mobility: streaming live performance to
remote venues, mostly cinemas, where an audience in another place, town, country or continent
excited atoms/On-the-Move.org mobility dossier/author: Judith Staines Page 21