Hyperessay

Through Maria X’s keynote and examples shown, I realize that there was a trend in Telematics Performance from 1970s to 2000s .

All of the Telematics performances are interactive and liveliness, as it include audience to be part of the performances. 2 ways that audience can be part of the performance. Firstly, is they themselves become the performer. Secondly, chatting in the chat room. Example in Adobe Connect, where we see artist performing and yet we can converse to one another.

Hole In Space by Kit Galloway & Sherrie Rabinowits, 1980

A trend that I notice is the life-size projection. Ever since the Hole in space, by Kit Galloway & Sherrie Rabinowits, in 1980, becomes a popular telematics work, many future telematic work incorporate this life-size projection. Through the life-size projection, it creates new form of communication and interactivity between people from another part of the world. This collapse the geographical boundaries. Another example is Paul Semon, Telematic Dreaming and Telematic Vision, 1993. In both of his works, he uses a life-size projection of the object and the audience, making it look real in virtual space. This creates a one-to-one performance, where both audience can observe and react to each other movements and create a closer bond among themselves.

Telematic Dreaming by Paul Sermon, 1993
“The ability to access outside of the user own space and time is created by another real sense of touch, but it is enhance by context of the bed.” - Paul Sermon

Another thing that I notice is the use of spaces and props. Going towards the 1990s, the use of props became one of the important things that contributed to a work, as space was already part of telematics performance.  An example would be Paul Semon, Telematic Dreaming, 1993. In this work, he uses intimate environment, which move the audience from a public space to a private space with the use of props, which is the bed. Another example, would be Annie Abrahams, Entanglement, 2018. In her work, she and the artists used objects, voice and phrases to communicate the idea of her telematic performances.

Hence, through this symposium, my definition of props has changed. Previously, I thought that props has to be a physical object that contributes to the work. Now, props mean that it can be anything (not only physical object) that contributes to my work  such as sound, words and movements.

Objects in Annie Abraham, Entaglement, 2018
Annie Abrahams, Entanglement, 2018

Personally, I prefer Annie Abrahams’ performance than Jon Cates’ performance because her performance was neat and easy to see all the artist performing.

At first I could not understand the idea behind her performance. After rewatching it again, it gives me a better understand of what she and the artists are trying to convey.

Artists are with the blue border are saying excellent

They start the performance with a blank screen, and everyone was saying excellent. When a person says something, his/her screen will light up and have a blue border (image above). Its shows that there is an inconsistency.

I like how Annie gives freedom to her fellow artists to perform this work. Like she did not constraint and force them to say a particular phrase or show a particular objects. Living in the 21st century, I think that we would want our freedom, the choice to speak up for ourselves.

Another thing is that, I like is how Annie is open to new people. In her other performances, she welcomed new artist to collaborate with her despite not meeting each other physically in a place. This shows the power of third space, where artist can collaborate and enhance their network circle.