Typographic Entanglement: Reflections on Interdisciplinary Collaborative Process
Jonathan Aitken, Greg Corness, Ben Bogart, Kristin Carlson & Rayann Gordon
This performance represents a continuing exploration of the role of kinetic typography in live performance. Part of a research project funded by SSHRC, the performance explores the relationship between typographic “characters” and dancers. Through the use of near-infrared tracking systems, the dancers are given a measure of control over the movement of words—influencing meaning through motion. Dancers find themselves in a world of words and attempt to develop a shared language.
We explored this interdisciplinary collaborative process through the lenses of Situated Actions and Distributed Cognition. These frameworks are adapted from the field of Human Computer Interaction to illuminate components of the decision making process. We approach this study through Participatory Autoethnographic methods by recounting the recent collaboration on an interactive dance performance project, Typographic Entanglement. We reflect on actions taken in order to explore how the distribution of cognition and modes of communication affect the authority guiding the project. We present collaboration as actions take from knowledge situated in the communal content developed by the team. By exploring this process in a performance-as-research context, signifiers emerge that help us to understand the role of authority in the decision making process.
Publications:
Carlson, K., Corness, G., Schiphorst, T.,(2010) Plan, Action, Collaboration: Reflecting on an Interdisciplinary Collaborative Process, Proceedings from The Embodiment of Authority Conference, Sibelius Academy, Helsinki, Finland, September 10-12, 2010. http://www.siba.fi/web/embodimentofauthority/proceedings
Presentations:
Carlson, K., Corness, G., Schiphorst, T. ‘Plan, Action: Collaboration: Emergent Narrative in Interdisciplinary Collaboration’, International Digital Media Arts Association Conference, November 4-6, 2010.
kristin carlson 