Intro
Social broadcasting, a many-to-many broadcasting differs from traditional one-to-many broadcasting that is only served as a one-way transmission of media and information. Social broadcasting allows us to explore more possibilities in terms of social and collaborative exchange, which happens live in a two-way interplay manner. It also constitutes concepts such as DIWO and third space. Such platform or performance usually allows viewers to re-think about certain existing social issues or possible ideas and concepts that could be further explored and dive into.
Social Broadcasting Performance
During Annie Abrahams symposium performance on Thursday, the performance started off with black screens, followed by one voice speaking “excellent”. Slowly, the rest starts to follow up with different voices of numbers and time. Next, visual of different settings and white walls start to appear in various seven panels accompanied by sounds of humming. When everyone is “ready” one of the panels start to show fingers and the rest starts to show different part and action done by their hands too. A combination of different harmony and sound effect is present. Finally, different objects are being shown throughout the different panels and being accompanied by different political statements. The performance ends off with all performers revealing themselves, however, all kept their eyes closed and remained silent as they go offline one after another. During her performance, online viewers are able to talk silently in the chat area, which is very different from traditional performance. As traditional performance usually does not allow chatting amongst the audience.
Performance Analysis – Annie Abrahams
In the performance, Annie Abrahams has incorporated third space and DIWO into her performance. From what we have learned in regards to third space from the past few months is that third space is “a space with no geographical boundaries” that allows us to connect two parties from different remote places together. Creating an illusion of intimacy and sense of reality through this space.
However, in the context of this symposium performance by Annie Abrahams, she used third space as a medium to express a different concept. While acknowledging the fact that third space could bring us intimacy, she explored the rawness and flaws of the use of virtual space and machines. She explored the complexity of relationships between the machine and human behavior, communications, and connections in third space. Proving that it could actually be just as imperfect, vulnerable and messy. In her performance, despite all of the performers knows that they are at different spaces, as we are able to see seven screens showing different items at different backgrounds. She believed that play and creation are still achievable despite any latency. Through the clever use of needless of any synchronization in the performance, which may be deemed as flawed, everything still falls into place perfectly creating a performance that has the illusion of some sort of structure. As an audience, I felt a sense of calmness and liking towards this piece of performance.
In terms of DIWO, so far from what we have learned, DIWO break the traditional artist and audience hierarchy and encouraged different people to engage in the art-making process. Which I would like to quote, DIWO “ allows space for an openness where a rich mixing of components from different source crossed over and build a hybrid experience.” Resulting in leading to having unpredictable outcomes. In Annie Abrahams performance, she clearly allowed the freedom of DIWO. Despite having a few rules, she gave her fellow performers a lot of freedom of expression, into showing any item that they want to show. Any fifteen chosen political statement that they would like to use without needing to be seen by her. Any sound to be made would be impromptu harmonizing. As a result, creating such a harmonious and unexpected piece despite having little planning.
Keynote analysis – Blast Theory
With the use of digital broadcasting, third space and DIWO, Blast Theory also created works, which explored social and political questions. One particular piece that I really like from Blast Theory is “My Neck of the Woods”. Whereby teenagers are able to Vlog about themselves while being able to ask or answer questions given by a group of online participants. The use of DIWO and Third space through social broadcasting in this piece is amazing. It fuses both concept of DIWO and third space really well. Personal intimacy( a concept seen in Third space) of being able to have private conversations with a few unknown people each time(DIWO concept) while the rest that is not picked to have a conversation could sit back and watch the conversation unfold as audiences.
Conclusion
In conclusion, through the performances and keynotes, we could see both uses interactive art with concepts such as DIWO and third space to bring attention to social issues. Different political statements are being brought up by different people of different countries with different political issues during Annie Abrahams’s performance. As Annie Abrahams mentioned, “Now it’s a time where political issues are difficult”. Hence, her performance could be a form of expression, expressing a group of people having different ways of thinking together. It could also be seen as a manner of escaping together, away from the machines. All speculations are open to audiences’ interpretation.
Her performance also sparks new forms of thinking. At the last part, all performers kept quiet without having any eye contact. It questions the issue of whether humans are still connected with each other through the third space if there is no relationship connection in the absence of sound and visions. Which is also a social issue that allows the audience to further ponder on.
Finally, both Annie Abrahams and Blast Theories’s work showed us a different perspective towards the concept we have learned so far about Diwo and third space which is an eye-opener for me.