Poetics of Technology in Performance

Session 1:
Sundar Sarukkai
*
What does it mean to think of art? Thinking of art must be extended to larger
audience rather than the artists/ producers of art. Where does technology feature
in the discourse of performance? How do we think about technology in the
context of performance?
*Technology is often seen as a magic, which is homogenous and global. Allure of
the technology is that it is universal. Hence technology is often thought as
culturally neutral, indifferent to people who are using it.
* Sarukkai points out the need of a shift in understanding technology. In the
context of performance technology cannot be thought as an isolated entity
indifferent to the artist who is using it. Using adapter as a metaphor he notes
that thinking about technology in performance must function as a cultural
adapter. Technology needs to be seen as a social product.
* Where does artistic imagination enter the technological imagination?
Technological imagination decentres the human presence from the imagination.
What is the role of presence in performance? The sense of presence in
performing arts makes it more appealable, increasing the love for live
performance. Is 3D film an example for our nostalgic longing for presence?
However, the way to think of technological imagination in the artistic imagination
in terms of presence is to see if the technology intensifies the presence rather
than negating it.

Prakash Belwadi

The brutality of technology is its casualness. It is expected to increase the

quality of spectatorship. A sound of a fan would be an unbearable noise in
cinema but in live performances audience can filter out that noise. It
normalizes the over sensitivity and emphasizes it as an important factor for
aesthetic experience which is not necessarily true.
Technology changes the content of an art work. In the earlier times when
shooting in the open spaces was much easier with the huge cameras, a
dream sequence with unreal costumes had to be created. A space of kitchen
or a bedroom was much difficult to be shot. Therefore, a parallel reality had
to be constructed within the story. However, with the invention of new
technology shooting in smaller space is possible which has led to the creation
of narratives around congested places like lift.
Significance of sync sound in south Indian cinema- Most of the actresses are
from North India. Writing stories giving lesser dialogues and importance to
the female leads
Significance/meaning is measured by movement in performing arts.
However, the movement is created by technology in cinema. In the
performances which use technology, presence of technology is given
 meaning by the bodies on stage. How do we feel the presence when the
performance is shot and screened?
Presence could be exploited in the moving images. He gave examples of
many incidents in which TV channels edited videos to sensationalize the
news. Hence Belwadi emphasized that technology needs to be used and
resisted with greater consciousness.

Sundar added that presence is associated with the idea of truth. And the
nature of truth in art embodies presence.

Nicole Seiler
It was a lecture demonstration in which she explained the creative process
behind her works, reflected on the larger concerns about technology in
performance and showed video of her works.

Spoke about one of her dance pieces called Shiver. This dance
choreographed by Nicole Seiler had a camera in the performing space which
captured audience and dancers during the performance. The captured
moving images were used to create animation. And the animated version is
projected on the performers and the screen. This whole process takes place
during the performances. She showed excerpts of this dance.
Her another work called Wilis which means women ghosts with broken heart.
The performance takes place within a forest and audience are brought to the
performance space. There are no performers in this dance piece. Audience
only see shadows. She explained the complicated and arduous process of
creating this work.
She insisted that one should use technology only when it is absolutely
necessary to implement your vision and not because technology is easily
available.
Argued that technology shows another level of real world.

Sundar added that since our perception is invariably flawed, technology

enhances the perception in seeing and understanding the real world.

Question: What are the questions do you ask yourself before adopting a new
technology?
Nicole: Am I using this technology because of my fascination or does it
enhance the impact?
Matsuo: I use technology to enhance the aesthetic
Question: Does technology make you turn inwards if truth lies inside
yourself?
Sundar: Art itself is a technology which opens up something about yourself
Nicole: Technology is used when it can throw light on intuition.

Session 2

Jaychandran Palazy

Dancers need to inhabit the spaces beyond the contours of the body. Body
can imagine beyond its limitations. However, to imagine beyond its contours
 the performative body has to be a neutral body. Configuring the neutral body
is built in the trainings of traditional art forms.
Dance exists in imagination. To create a dance work is to make a body inhabit
the space of imagination. Mediation of technology in dance is to create the
realities for the bodies to enter the space of imagination.
Our imagination is often beyond reality. However new technology is extended
beyond imagination. Technology opens up different spaces for bodies.
Deciphering the pattern of a dance is a way of meaning making. Empathy is
in its centrality.

Deepak Mathew
Showed a series of art works which represent new ways of creating art using
complicated technology. He traced the new adventures in art, especially in
contemporary visual art, which challenged the conventional methods of meaning
making. The works and artists that he spoke about interrogated the definition of
art itself through their works.

Session 3
Technicolour person

Behind the scene- Showed video clips to showcase arduous and complicated
technological process of creating a small scene.
Technology is behind imagination.
Ended with a provocative thought that in the future the audience would
become the creators. Machine will become man and we need to accept the
growing use of technology in performers.

Question: Does use of technology make a dance piece time bound? Does it
inculcate an anxiety of being outdated?
Sundar: Technology doesnt have an autonomous relation with art.