Hi Everyone-

First off, thank you Victoria for this invitation.  I'm looking forward to
the conversation this month with everyone. There are several intros/thread
starting points initiating simultaneously here - which I would like to
take time to respond to individually, so I'll keep my opening trailheads
brief.  

* I'm glad that you framed the discussion as one of "code" rather than
programming - though I imagine we'll be talking about both. I've been
teaching artists & designers how to use code for a while, and often will
use exercises that require physical movement executed via instructions as
a way to think through logical structures as a starting point before we
start looking at how to enact code via a specific programming language.
e.g. write a set of operations to find a water fountain starting anywhere
on earth - then when students return w/their operations, have them
"perform" each others code. logical "errors" take on new meaning in this
context - questions of strict/loose interpretation/handling of
instruction. These types of exercises, I first worked with in a 1-off
course (unplugged programming) from years ago, which have found their way
into many of the other introductory courses that I teach to establish
conceptual and technical foundations for students.

* the dramatic expansion of interest and availability of forms of
data-flow programming languages for creative practices the last few years
privileges value systems from performance: virtuosity, low-latency,
liveness, etc. I'd be curious to discuss how this is (re)shaping
curricula, creative practice, and tendencies towards emergence/support of
hybrid forms.

* I rather enjoy Florian Cramer's ideas about executable text, especially
as examined in his book "words made flesh" from several years ago; just
re-reading anti-media now. His ideas - especially in the earlier book -
seem pertinent to this discussion.


>Hacking Choreography
Kate - I _love_ this.  Reminds me of some of the work that Koosil-Ja has
been doing the last few years with her "Live Processing" technique -
http://www.dancekk.com/


-paul

--

Paul Catanese <[log in to unmask]> office # 312.369.8785
Associate Chair & Associate Professor of Interdisciplinary Arts
Director of the Interdisciplinary Arts & Media MFA Program
Columbia College Chicago - http://www.colum.edu/interarts/
New Media Caucus, President Emeritus ­ http://www.newmediacaucus.org/
Art Practice ­ http://www.paulcatanese.com/







On 3/4/14 9:44 AM, "Kate Sicchio" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>Hi All
>
>During the last couple of years I have been directly exploring the
>performativity expressed in code within choreographic scores and
>performances. One of my main projects is Hacking Choreography. At first
>the idea was to take scores and find ways to subvert them in performance
>and therefore 'hack' them. I started this with an Alice Knowles scores
>from the Fluxus Handbook and tried to find other ways to perform this
>whilst performing it. This soon developed into live coding of dancers. I
>have created a pseduo-programming language in which movement is defined
>and put into an order and other changed during the performance. Dancers
>have to perform the code as it is being written. The performance becomes
>as much about their cognitive process of interpreting and performing at
>the same time as it does dancing. Here is a video of a recent performance
>in London in January: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoV01_P6PGw
>
>I also have created a collaborative performance with live coder Alex
>McLean (also a contributor in this discussion) called Sound Choreographer
><> Body Code.  We create a feedback loop between our codes through a
>kinect tracking my dancing and changing Alex's code, and another computer
>analysing Alex's sound and changing my score as I am dancing. My score
>becomes so complex during the performance, that I fail at performing it.
>There is too much code to dance and I have to make decisions about what
>to do next. Alex also has to deal with not knowing how my movement will
>change his code and how the code has become a shifting structure.
>
>One of the things that has become important to me within this approach to
>choreography is that the dancer still makes choices about the code and
>how to interpret it. The language used becomes extremely important as
>well and I purposely try to use terms that can be explored through
>movement and not directly dictate a movement. I think this is where
>performativity also plays an important role again by the doing
>(interpreting) and not the saying.
>
>Kate
>
>
>--
>Kate Sicchio
>web: www.sicchio.com
>twitter: @sicchio
>
>
>On 4 Mar 2014, at 11:12, Jack Stenner wrote:
>
>> Hello Victoria and list. Thank you for the invitation to participate!
>> 
>> In response to the question ³In what ways is performativity expressed
>>in code?² in relation to my own practice, performativity is embodied in
>>several forms: (1.) Quite literally, in the naming of the classes,
>>functions, and variables. (2.) Modeling of conceptual/social structures
>>of interest directly in code. (3.) As an emergent property in response
>>to the conceptual and technical needs of the artwork.
>> 
>> If one were to look at the code used to generate applications or
>>services for just about any of my works, one would see variables named
>>³hybrid_subject,² ³zombie,² ³faciality,² ³terrorist,² ³absence,²
>>³spectator,² etc. Functions typically describe the actions available for
>>various classes, which in turn are often the ³nouns² or general
>>categories of behavior needed to support the larger performativity of
>>the work. By virtue of the works relation to cultural discourse, the
>>code reflects this relationship, as well.
>> 
>> In the Murphy¹s Well-Being project, beyond the semantic relationships
>>described above, we modeled a conceptual framework directly. Theorist
>>Greg Ulmer¹s concept of the ³popcycle² as characterized by four
>>institutional discourses: family, entertainment, history and philosophy,
>>were articulated in code using class constructs and a relational
>>database. We wanted to test/exercise the meaning making capability of
>>this way of thinking about social formation. Again, the semantics were
>>consistent with the idea, but here the theorization directed the
>>structure.
>> 
>> The third way performativity is expressed in code in my work is more
>>nuanced and self-reflective. The code arises from the concept of the
>>work beyond semantic or structural desires. In Open House we were
>>thinking about the popular conception of computing activity as
>>non-physical, and how that has been culturally normalized; the classic
>>virtual/actual divide. We wanted to highlight the fact that ³virtual²
>>actions have tangible effects, in this case, as it related to the
>>manipulation of markets responsible for the 2007 U.S. housing collapse.
>>With this in mind, the code begins to reflect the idea in the form of a
>>distributed set of networked applications with real-time stimulus
>>response behaviors. For example, a component of the work was a desktop
>>application where we wanted to question the a-critical mouse click by
>>causing the viewer to press and hold the mouse to navigate. This
>>required re-thinking basic interaction, not because it was something fun
>>to do, but because our hypothesis was that speed combined with a lack of
>>critical reflection was instrumental in the crash. The code and its
>>structure emerge from the critical demands of the work.
>> 
>> I agree with Curt's point about code/text/language having always been
>>performative. In the case of the Arns article, I would argue that if
>>generative art is an attempt to negate intentionality it is always a
>>failed attempt, and the act is certainly performative. Of course, mode
>>of transmission, the speed with which it is transmitted, the way it's
>>processed into machine language, are all extremely important with regard
>>to how code is performative. The apparatus has sufficiently changed from
>>oral and literate cultures that I think it's important that we look at
>>its operations in the world. The value of the Arns article in this
>>regard is to allow us to consider the performativity of works  where
>>artists are not denying intentionality and see how they "work."
>> 
>> Looking forward to the discussions!
>> 
>> Jack
>> 
>> jack stenner, ph.d
>> associate professor: art + technology
>> school of art and art history
>> university of florida
>> 
>> http://art-tech.arts.ufl.edu
>> http://www.jackstenner.com
>> 
>> 
>> On Mar 3, 2014, at 5:22 AM, Victoria Bradbury <[log in to unmask]>
>>wrote:
>> 
>>> Dear List,
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> The theme for March is co-hosted by two CRUMB team members, both
>>>doctoral
>>> researchers: Victoria Bradbury <http://www.victoriabradbury.com> and
>>>Suzy
>>> O'Hara.  (Our co-authored ISEA 2013 paper may be found here:
>>> 
>>>http://ses.library.usyd.edu.au//bitstream/2123/9818/1/crumbdoctoral.pdf)
>>>.
>>> 
>>> Victoria's current research considers the performativity of code as it
>>> relates to participatory new media artworks.  She is interested in ways
>>> that performativity exists in interactive systems that may or may not
>>>be
>>> labeled as "performances."
>>> 
>>> The term performativity can be looked at from a linguistic or
>>>theoretical
>>> angle, or, as James Loxley states in his book *Performativity*, it can
>>>be
>>> used "quite generally to denote the performance aspect of any object or
>>> practice under consideration." Inke Arns introduced the phrase *the
>>> performativity of code *to new media art discourse in her 2004 essay,
>>>*Read_Me,
>>> Run_Me, Execute_Me: Software and its Discontents, or: It's the
>>> Performativity of Code, Stupid.  *In this article, Arns refers to
>>> performativity in the sense of J.L. Austin and speech act theory.  She
>>> writes, "if I speak of the performativity of code, I claim that this
>>> performativity is not to be understood as a purely technical
>>> performativity, i.e. it does not only happen in the context of a closed
>>> technical system, but affects the realm of the aesthetical, the
>>>political
>>> and the social.  Program code is characterized by the fact that here
>>> 'saying' coincides with 'doing'."
>>> 
>>>           We have invited 16 practitioners to this conversation. You
>>>are
>>> artists, designers, curators, professors and theorists and your bios
>>>can be
>>> found below.  We look forward to learning your take on the
>>>performativity
>>> of code and seeing where your insight, along with the voices of all of
>>>the
>>> list participants, will take this conversation over the course of the
>>>month.
>>> 
>>> To start the discussion, please introduce yourself and let us know how
>>>you
>>> see the following question in relation to your practice:
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> *In what ways is performativity expressed in code?*
>>> 
>>> 
>>> *This Month's Invited Respondents:*
>>> 
>>> *Dr. Jonah Brucker-Cohen* is an award winning researcher, artist, and
>>> writer. He teaches in the MFA Design and Technology program at Parsons
>>>The
>>> New School for Design.
>>> Portfolio and Work: http://www.coin-operated.com
>>> Scrapyard Challenge Workshops: http://www.scrapyardchallenge.com
>>> Twitter: @coinop29
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> *Xtine Burrough* is an artist, author, and educator who bridges gaps
>>> between histories, theories, and production in new media education.
>>> www.missconceptions.net
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> *Paul Catanese* is a Hybrid Media Artist; Program Director of the
>>> Interdisciplinary Arts & Media MFA at Columbia College Chicago, and was
>>> President of the New Media Caucus from 2008 - 2014.
>>> http://www.paulcatanese.com/ <http://www.paulcatanese.com/>
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> *Ami Clarke,* www.amiclarke.com, is an artist who both facilitates the
>>> running of Banner Repeater: a reading room and project space on
>>>Platform 1,
>>> Hackney Downs train station, opening up an experimental space for
>>>others,
>>> whilst dually sharing the goal in her practice to explore ideas that
>>>come
>>> of publishing, distribution, and dissemination: how the performance of
>>> language increasingly impacts upon daily life. www.bannerrepeater.org
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> *Curt Cloninger* (*lab404.com <http://lab404.com>* | *playdamage.org
>>> <http://playdamage.org>* | *deepyoung.org <http://deepyoung.org>*) is
>>>an
>>> artist, writer, and Assistant Professor of New Media at the University
>>>of
>>> North Carolina Asheville (US).
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> *Dr. Sara Diamond *is President of OCAD University. She is a visual
>>> analytics, wearable technology and mobile media researcher, artist and
>>> designer. She developed http://www.codezebra.net/, a social media
>>>software
>>> and performance and responsive fashion environment and is co-principal
>>> investigator of the Centre for Information Visualization and
>>>Data-Driven
>>> Design http://www.civ-ddd.net/.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> *Rachel Beth Egenhoefer* is an artist, designer, and professor, based
>>>in
>>> San Francisco, whose work sits between technology, craft, and design.
>>> www.rachelbeth.net
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> *G.H. Hovagimyan* is an experimental artist working in a variety of
>>>forms.
>>> An Internet and new media pioneer, his works ranges from hypertext
>>>works to
>>> digital performance art, interactive installations and HD video.  More
>>>info
>>> may be found at http://nujus.net/~nujus/gh_04/bio.html
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> *Barbara Lattanzi* constructs what she calls "idiomorphic software".
>>>See
>>> her recent investigations of generativity documented at
>>> www.vimeo.com/idiomorphics/
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> *Alex McLean* is a live coder and researcher based in Yorkshire. He is
>>> co-founder of Slub, TOPLAP, algorave, chordpunch and the AHRC live
>>> coding research network. He is research fellow of ICSRiM, School of
>>> Music, University of Leeds. http://yaxu.org/
>>> 
>>> 
>>> *A. Bill Miller *is an Assistant Professor of Art and Design at
>>>University
>>> of Wisconsin-Whitewater focused on Digital Media Practices.
>>> http://www.master-list2000.com/abillmiller/
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> *Stephanie **Rothenberg**'s* practice engages performance,
>>>installation,
>>> print and digital media to create provocative interactions that expose
>>>the
>>> power dynamics within technological utopias. Recent exhibitions
>>>include the
>>> Sundance Film Festival, MASS MoCA, LABoral Art Center, Transmediale,
>>>Zer01
>>> Biennial, New York Hall of Science and the Whitney Museum Artport. She
>>>is
>>> Associate Professor in the Department of Visual Studies at SUNY
>>>Buffalo.
>>> http://www.pan-o-matic.com/
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> *Kate Sicchio* works at the interface of choreography and technology.
>>>You
>>> can see her work at http://blog.sicchio.com
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> *Jeremy Sigler *is a poet living in Brooklyn. A collection of prose
>>>poems
>>> juxtaposed with photographs by ari marcopoulos is forthcoming from
>>> Dashwood. Sigler was also the editor of a Carl Andre career
>>>retrospective
>>> monograph forthcoming from dia art foundation and Yale university
>>>press.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> *Jack Stenner*, Associate Professor of Art + Technology at the
>>>University
>>> of Florida, synthesizes culture, hardware and software to create
>>>networked
>>> installation and experimental cinema. http://www.jackstenner.com
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> *Isabella Streffen* is an artist and occasional curator. Her current
>>>work
>>> is on aerial technologies, past, present and future.
>>>http://dronology.com