Sorry for cross-posting.
GHost III: Hosting 4
GHost-hunters II
Date: 16 November 2010, 6.30pm – 9pm
Venue: The Senate Room, 1st
floor, Senate House South Block,
University of London, Malet Street, London WC1E 7HU
Join us for the fourth GHost
Hosting, an evening of exploration into the phenomenon of ghost-hunting,
including the findings from the recent and very marvellous 'Vigil' at the Royal
Academy and a dissection of the substance of ghost-hunting inside the world of
television.
The stately Senate Room is haunted by the smell of academic incense and the
ghost of the blue lady may be heard scratching from behind the wood-panelled
walls.
Come and play with us...
Lucy Bensusan, “Most Haunted Live” – Interactive
Television and the Domestic Ghost Hunter
Blue Firth, David Luke,
Mark Pilkington, Vigil
Followed by discussion
including the parapsychologist Dr. Ciarán O'Keeffe
London spirits will be served.
This event
is free but places are limited – to secure your seat please email us at [log in to unmask]
Full
Programme
Lucy
Bensusan, “Most Haunted Live” –
Interactive Television and the Domestic
Ghost Hunter
'The
camera as we know it now and in its future manifestations will continue to
function as an apparitional apparatus.' (Daniel Wojcik, 'Spirits, Apparitions,
and Traditions of Supernatural Photogrpahy', Visual Resources.)
The subject
was initially born from a personal interest in the paranormal, but as I
searched for something spooky to watch in the evening I became increasingly
aware that I was spoilt for choice, and the body of preternatural television
texts that are marketed as either documentary, reality or investigative is more
dominant than ever before in television history.
Crucial to my
investigation is how Most Haunted Live innovates the traditional notions
of live broadcasting as media event, monopolises upon the advantages of digital
television, explores multi-platform delivery, creates cult viewing, encourages
high levels of audience interactivity to produce an active television viewer, and
therefore an active ghost hunter operating from their own domestic sphere.
Whilst textually analysing the ideology, address and format of programmes such
as these, this project investigates what properties inherent to the medium of
television make it suitable as a vehicle of supernatural factual or reality
programming. Initially, one must observe to what extent this portrayal of the
contemporary investigator imitates previous incarnations of psychic
entertainment, but also contemporarily how does Most Haunted revise,
re-work or create new formats of television programming? Finally, this
discussion will encompass arguments over the potential of the medium of
television to be used to channel the deceased, encouraged by televised
paranormal investigations, and being able to function as an 'apparitional
apparatus', both letting the viewer see far into the distance whilst possibly
bringing an unknown energy into the domestic sphere.
Blue
Firth, David Luke, Mark Pilkington, Vigil
VIGIL is a participatory investigation into alleged
paranormal phenomena at The Royal Academy Schools in Piccadilly, London to be
conducted in October 2010.
The project
arose from first hand accounts of anomalous experiences told to RA student Blue
Firth by security guards doing night shifts on the site. Their descriptions
prompted Blue to unearth a history of unusual phenomena at the Academy
buildings.
Wanting to
explore these occurrences further, Blue brought in parapsychologist Dr David
Luke and fortean author-curator Mark Pilkington. Together they attended
training seminars with the respected investigation group ASSAP (Association for
the Scientific Study of Anomalous Phenomena) and devised Vigil according to
their guidelines. Blue and Mark also interviewed veteran psychical investigator
Guy Playfair, who in 1977 experienced, and documented, dramatic poltergeist
phenomena at the home of the Hogdson family in Enfield, North London.
Vigil will
take place over two evenings in October, during which 120 people will take part
over six sessions. Each session will last for 30 minutes and be conducted in
total silence and complete darkness; subjects will be asked to complete
psychometric assessment forms and detail any unusual sensations felt during the
session. Trained medical and psychological facilitators will be on site to
assist with the project.
For Hostings Blue, David and Mark will present a performative
summary of their findings incorporating data and documentation from the Vigil
sessions.
This
event is part of GHost. Led by Sarah Sparkes and Ricarda Vidal GHost has been
running since 2008. It addresses the various roles ghosts play in contemporary
culture by bringing artists, writers, curators and researchers together for
workshops, so-called ‘hostings’ and exhibitions of moving image and
performance art. The hostings are supported by the Institute of Germanic &
Romance Studies, School of Advanced Study and exhibitions are hosted by St
Johns on Bethnal Green (East London).
For more info please see our
website: http://www.host-a-ghost.blogspot.com/
Or join the GHost group on
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/inbox/readmessage.php?t=1166662399611&mbox_pos=0#/group.php?gid=117301037117&ref=mf