2. work space II: attempts on margarita (multiple drafts)

how might current cognitive theories that refer to the mind as embodied, ecologically extended and socially engaged be used as critical and creative frameworks for analyzing and understanding the multimodal nature of scenographic making processes and reception?

about: 

a current view on the ‘hard problem’ (chalmers 1996) of consciousness, largely initiated by neuroscientist/psychiatrist giulio tononi, is that ‘wherever there's information processing, there's consciousness’ (tononi, 2004). in the piece ‘attempts on Margarita (multiple drafts)’ aim was to generate a collective consciousness: Margarita. the project draws imaginatively from the theories of multiple drafts (dennett 1992), the dynamic core (edelman and tononi 2000) and integrated information/'Φ' (tononi 2004) in order to create an experience for the audience in which they feel as an active part of its process. another aim was to kindle a post-show dialogue on inter-disciplinary, bottom-up and embodied performance making methods. 

attempts on Margarita (multiple drafts) was presented as part of the little leeds fringe festival on the 26th february 2015 at stage@leeds, supported by CePRA - centre for practice-led research in the arts

‘attempts on Margarita (multiple drafts)’ is a durational sound installation based on recordings, live performance and ‘contraptions’. the recordings consist of pre-recorded voices of friends/colleagues/acquaintances of the artist and of live-streamed voices of random passers-by in the Leeds University campus (hidden café) answering the same set of questions regarding themselves or a female person they know well. the show is divided in 11 chapters, which correspond to the above questions and form ‘Margarita’. there is a folk english song on an apple and a head performed live, multiple scripts of who is Margarita are printed ad hoc and a button box waiting to be explored. the ‘contraptions’ are constructed in such a way so as to invite the audience to literally immerse in them and listen to the more intimate audio recordings (i.e. the secret pleasures of Margarita). the audience-participants visiting the installation are free to enter and exit as they wish.

credits: 

associate artist in sound ben eyes

project associate jennifer carlberg

artists participants: katherine graham, lucy steggals, esther collins, maria kapsali, alaena turner and liv bradbury

concept/direction: xristina penna

supported by the centre for practice led research in the arts, university of leeds.