Applied Microperformativity: Live Arts for a Radical Socio-Economic Turn

AIL

Curated by Lucie Strecker, Klaus Spiess and Jens Hauser
How does the agency of genes or cell fragments, proteins or enzymes, bacteria and fungi relate to macroscopic dynamics of power in contemporary biopolitics?
How can performance art and discourse inform these processes? What are the artistic methods to engage critically with technologies that exploit life on a microscopic and molecular level to merge bio- and digital media for global capitalization?

International artists, scientists and experts will come together to exchange artistic and theoretical approaches that dissociate causal relations inherent to capitalism by considering a specifically post-anthropocentric notion of performativity – one that includes material and discursive, affective and scientific, human and nonhuman, and natural and cultural elements. They highlight how biotechnologies produce scales that are exclusive while influencing economic, ethical and artistic values; a microperformative approach enables us to encounter value as a critical experience,
as a force rather than a norm. Looking at the microdynamics between living matter, technology and capital is inspired by the quest to grasp the scales of space but also of time, where life is transformed to code and furthermore into a tradable commodity.
The format of the symposium seeks to experimentally apply critical performance, counter biotactics, research and theory. It invites the discovery of microperformativity not solely as a tool to describe complex interstices, but as a force that reconciles the dystopia of the economy with the utopia of ecology — with the capacity to visualize an intra-action between living matter, human economic behavior and technology.

December 12

The Banquet, 7–10 pm


Welcome Gerald Bast
Introduction Lucie Strecker, Jens Hauser, Klaus Spiess and Ann Liv Young

Hox Zodiac (Victoria Vesna)
Reflux Coïtus (Elisabeth Bakambamba Tambwe)
The America Project (Paul Vanouse)

December 13

The Trail, 11 am–12.30 pm
Microbial Keywording (Klaus Spiess, Lucie Strecker), 20 min
Microperformativity in Experimentation (Hans-Jörg Rheinberger), 40 min
Microbial Keywording Step 1, 10 min

The Gift, 1– 2.30 pm
Stillleben (Irini Athanassakis, Krõõt Juurak, Dana Papachristou) 40 min
Symbiotic Cultures (David Berry) 20 min
Microbial Keywording Step 2, 10 min

The Flow, 5 – 6.30 pm
The Economy of Transspecies Time (Video: Klaus Spiess, Lucie Strecker, Performance: Daniel Aschwanden, Roman Widholm), 40 min
Wastelands: Microbial Time (Tagny Duff), 40 min
Microbial Keywording Step 3, 10 min

The Border, 7– 9 pm
Ghost Economies: What the dead can teach us about life at the
end of capitalism (Max Haiven) 40 min
Throwing up Ghosts without Borders (Max Haiven, Cassie Thornton) 1:20 min
On / Off Performances Ann Liv Young, Oleg Soulimenko

December 14

The Phase, 11am –12.30 pm
Designing the Molecular Self: New Media Ecologies and the Commodification of Life in a Bioscience-based Economy (Ingeborg Reichle), 40 min
Neuron – Statistic – Machine – Life: Oikos, Performance and the Sensory Order (Chris Salter), 40 min
Microbial Keywording Step 4, 10 min

The Labor, 1–2.30 pm
Immaterial Labor of Household Pets (Krõõt Juurak / Alex Bailey), 30 min
On Labor (Paul Vanouse), 45 min
Microbial Keywording Step 5, 10 min

The Cannibal, 5–6.30 pm
The Prometheus Protocols – audio play (Thomas Feuerstein / Szely / Nehle Dick / Jim Libby), 50 min
The Economy of Cannibalism (Roland Rauschmeier, Alex Bailey, Klaus Spiess), 30 min
Microbial Keywording Step 6, 10 min

The Medium, 7– 9 pm
Microperformativity \ / Biomediality (Jens Hauser), 30 min
Multiorgasmic Politics (Eben Kirksey), 45 min
From Microbial Keywording to Living Currencies (Klaus Spiess, Lucie Strecker) 30 min
On / Off Performances Ann Liv Young, Oleg Soulimenko

December 15

The Pit, 5 pm
Sylvia Eckermann, Gerald Nestler & Guests

December 18

The Host, 7 p m
Testotoxic – Intervention into Masculinity (SelfSightSeeing Company)

December 19

The Flourish, 5 pm
Juxtaposed Microperformativity (Students and recent graduates of the Art&Science master’s degree program)

Works exhibited
Octoplasma / Prometheus Delivered (Thomas Feuerstein), The America Project (Paul
Vanouse), Labor (Paul Vanouse), BREAST III (The Derivative) (Irini Athanassakis), Milk (Irini
Athanassakis), Hare’s Blood + (Klaus Spiess, Lucie Strecker), Mykovaluta / Wirkung (Klaus Spiess, Lucie Strecker), From Microbial Keywording to Living Currencies (Klaus Spiess, Lucie Strecker)

Exhibition Design: Lucie Strecker, Johannes Maile, Mauricio Suarez
Media Design: Joseph Knierzinger, Jürgen Ropp, Peter Koger
Production Management: partner in crime
Supervision Molecular- and Cell Biology: Mark Rinnerthaler, Reinhard Nestelbacher
Text and Dramaturgical Consulting: KT Zakravsky
Partner in Dialogue: Janez Janša
Coaching and Support: Phillipe Riera
Biotechnological Support and Performance: Johannes Seiwerth
Graphic Design Counseling/ Logo: Monica LoCascio
Curatorial Assistance: Guadalupe Aldrete

A cooperation between brut Wien, Muffathalle, OU \ / ERT and the Angewandte
Innovation Laboratory AIL. With the kind support of the Austrian Science Fund (FWF): V501, Bundeskanzleramt Österreich, the Medical University of Vienna and Vienna’s Department of Cultural Affairs.
With many thanks to Laufen and Aposcience
Applied Microperformativity: Live Arts for a Radical Socio-Economic Turn
Symposium

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