PERFORMING ARTS SCENE AND SCREEN SPATIAL PRACTICES
a b s t r a c t
Core members of the group are currently working on a 4-year academy-funded artistic research project “floating peripheries – mediating the sense of place” (2017–2021).
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EXPANDED SCENOGRAPHY RESEARCH GROUP started its activities in 2015. It enhances the conceptual understanding and develops tools for analysis on the scene and screen based spatial practices. Research questions are addressed in relation to artistic work and theoretical/contextual re-framing.
Scenography in change; scenographic practices have expanded into areas outside the traditional THEATRE context into physical and contextual ‘any-spaces and -places’ that have not originally been thought as sites of performance. NEW areas of artistic activities and agencies, technologies, processual and socially engaged working methods and production models have challenged the conventions and goals in practice, education and research.
expanded scenography explores emerging agencies and spatial practices (artistic, material, theoretical) IN A VARIETY OF THEATRICAL CONTEXTS by means of spatial laboratories, in public space and urban sphere, and in relation to new kinds of immersive, participatory and mediated environments such as vr, gaming and hybrid performances that mix live performance and augmented reality.
We UNDERSTAND ‘scenographic’ as spatial, visual, TEMPORAL, performative and narrative agenT – as spatial dramaturgy. scenography adds and complements the narrative dimension of (any) performative SITE OR situation and creates supplementary narratives of its own kind – affective and imaginary storylineS, THAT ARE mediated by SCENOGRAPHIC means. Scenography may be articulated as a culturally and politically meaningful social and aesthetic production, which takes form through a range of interdisciplinary forms. (The notion of Expanded Scenography has been contextualised e.g. by Baugh 2013; Brejzek 2011; denOudsten 2011; Hann 2014; Hannah & Harsløf 2008; Ikonen 2015; Loukola 2014; McKinney 2013).
the Research Group integrates different fields of knowledge, theories and methods in the discipline in change, by taking scenography as a critical practice that Activates new and existing spaces AND PRACTICES, and stressess the role of embodied experience as part of its formation.
The econo-political, technological and social aspects of the spatial organization of the society have been studied widely, whereas the performative, narrative, aesthetical and experiential aspects have not been acknowledged that extensively. The group’s research interests also include the tackling of societal challenges – spatial ASPECTS related to phenomena such as wellbeing, aging, multiculturalism, openness/control of public space, and narrative and participatory uses of existing and temporary sites and yet-unbuilt areas.
Through addressing the relations between arts, body and society the group uses research-driven means based on understanding performativity and theatricality in a wide sense as a cultural condition that cuts through all levels of society. Artistic interventions and experimental workshops trigger renegotiations of spatial conventions on micro and macro level, IN AND OUT OF THEATRE.
Artistic research establishes contact points between art, society and institutional frame, and generates change through making visible the established paradigmatic differences and open potential spaces for thinking anew. the group’s Artistic research aims at producing new and daring ways through critical artistic practice through four research themes:
i) Spatial dramaturgies activating sites and situations
II) Non-theatrical environments
II) Spatial and epistemological peripheries
IV) mediated performance and media aesthetic + moving-image-related theories
The research group assembles a community of leading Finnish and international researchers, scholars, artists and practitioners to create a re-active platform for enhancing the potential of ‘scenographic’ thinking in the crossing of performing arts, visual culture studies and aesthetics and space-making policies. thematized projects are combined with activities open for wider public and the research community.
EXPANDED SCENOGRAPHY RESEARCH GROUP OPERATES UNDER THE ‘ELO ARTISTIC RESEARCH’ UMBRELLA, INCLUDING THREE FOCUS AREAS:
CRITICAL SPATIAL PRACTICES & SCENE AND SCREEN DESIGN:
EXPANDED SCENOGRAPHY RESEARCH GROUP started its activities in 2015. It enhances the conceptual understanding and develops tools for analysis on the scene and screen based spatial practices. Research questions are addressed in relation to artistic work and theoretical/contextual re-framing.
