Friday December 15 9:00 - 17:00
Registration and coffee
Introduction
The Finger Pointing at the Picture: Performative Iconology and the Empathy of Citational Images
Dr Maria Gil Ulldemolins
Inspired by Aby Warburg’s seismographic approach to depictions of embodied emotion, this creative-critical lecture seeks to suggest the performative possibilities of iconology, creating a study that becomes self-aware of its own gesturality and position. An empathetic network of different agents (images, researchers, audiences, etc.) emerges. The seismographic ripples detected in different images speak of citational, and otherwise intermedial capacities for recognition and identification—of the pictures, and of the finger pointing at them, too.
Inspired by Aby Warburg’s seismographic approach to depictions of embodied emotion, this creative-critical lecture seeks to suggest the performative possibilities of iconology, creating a study that becomes self-aware of its own gesturality and position. An empathetic network of different agents (images, researchers, audiences, etc.) emerges. The seismographic ripples detected in different images speak of citational, and otherwise intermedial capacities for recognition and identification—of the pictures, and of the finger pointing at them, too.
Empathy Beyond the Question of Deception: From Jagannath Images to Dall-E's Paintings
Clarisse Michaux
The anthropologist Alfred Gell proposed treating the artwork as a person or as an element of a ‘distributed person’ as the most effective way to decolonise our theoretical understanding of the reception of artworks. Building on his work, I would like to discuss the connections between approaches considered ‘primitive’ in art and those prompted by recent cases of digitally generated artworks created by algorithmic intelligences. In images of Jagannath, as in virtual reality, the phenomenon of empathy becomes more complex. It is indeed a matter of treating the object as a person and therefore with empathy—without, however, being deceived about its origin.
The anthropologist Alfred Gell proposed treating the artwork as a person or as an element of a ‘distributed person’ as the most effective way to decolonise our theoretical understanding of the reception of artworks. Building on his work, I would like to discuss the connections between approaches considered ‘primitive’ in art and those prompted by recent cases of digitally generated artworks created by algorithmic intelligences. In images of Jagannath, as in virtual reality, the phenomenon of empathy becomes more complex. It is indeed a matter of treating the object as a person and therefore with empathy—without, however, being deceived about its origin.
Irresistible Images and Sceptical Empathy
Toon Leën
This lecture performance explores how certain images lure viewers into misguided and inaccurate types of empathy. Focusing on the digital infrastructures that shape our outlook on world events, this talk compares a series of puzzling images that exemplify the entanglement of two categories: the cute and the horrible. Seeking to develop a sceptical empathy, this lecture will present unreliable yet potentially irresistible evidence to help understand the motives and ambitions of these dubious images.
This lecture performance explores how certain images lure viewers into misguided and inaccurate types of empathy. Focusing on the digital infrastructures that shape our outlook on world events, this talk compares a series of puzzling images that exemplify the entanglement of two categories: the cute and the horrible. Seeking to develop a sceptical empathy, this lecture will present unreliable yet potentially irresistible evidence to help understand the motives and ambitions of these dubious images.
Discussion
Coffee break
Teaching – An Empathic Play
Eline Valkeneers
In this lecture I will explore the value of the physical presence of students and lecturers within the same room during the act of teaching. Furthermore, I will examine the notion of the school as a public space.
In this lecture I will explore the value of the physical presence of students and lecturers within the same room during the act of teaching. Furthermore, I will examine the notion of the school as a public space.
Elastic Encounter
Joery Erna
In this performative lecture, Joery Erna will create a dialogue between the audience and himself. Starting from the traces left by three of his works, which have all had an encounter with someone, Erna discusses the ability or inability to capture a network of feelings that occur when photographing, and questions in which way his practice can alter our relationship with others.
In this performative lecture, Joery Erna will create a dialogue between the audience and himself. Starting from the traces left by three of his works, which have all had an encounter with someone, Erna discusses the ability or inability to capture a network of feelings that occur when photographing, and questions in which way his practice can alter our relationship with others.
Discussion
Lunch break
Empathetically and Artistically Engaging with the Insect World
Charlotte Dorn
The video Moments in a Firebug’s Life addresses visual strategies to increase viewers’ emotional involvement with other-than-human animals through animated storytelling. The short animation will be accompanied by a reflection on artistic strategies to increase empathy for the other-than-human being. The film narrates a story around an insect’s life because these beings are often viewed or encountered with disgust. Giving visibility to the microcosms that exist at the level of our feet increases the attention we give to our environment.
The video Moments in a Firebug’s Life addresses visual strategies to increase viewers’ emotional involvement with other-than-human animals through animated storytelling. The short animation will be accompanied by a reflection on artistic strategies to increase empathy for the other-than-human being. The film narrates a story around an insect’s life because these beings are often viewed or encountered with disgust. Giving visibility to the microcosms that exist at the level of our feet increases the attention we give to our environment.
Tiber: A Pulsional Portrait of Europe
Giovanna Caimmi
Last year a friend lent me a book about the Deutschrömer, German artists who came to Rome in the early-nineteenth century. Opening it, I found a photocopied article about an album of drawings by the Swiss engraver Samuel Amsler, which contained thirty-three portraits of these young artists depicting refined intelligent faces. I immediately empathised with these forgotten artists, and began making a series of polaroids and drawings to bring them into the here and now, creating a cartography of their restless travels as a pulsional portrait of Europe.
Last year a friend lent me a book about the Deutschrömer, German artists who came to Rome in the early-nineteenth century. Opening it, I found a photocopied article about an album of drawings by the Swiss engraver Samuel Amsler, which contained thirty-three portraits of these young artists depicting refined intelligent faces. I immediately empathised with these forgotten artists, and began making a series of polaroids and drawings to bring them into the here and now, creating a cartography of their restless travels as a pulsional portrait of Europe.
Affective Frequencies: Human-Machine Sensory Performativity
Mona Hedayati
This talk will outline my doctoral trajectory centred on performative experiments as a way to communicate my lived experience of migration and exile through sensory registers rather than traditional narration. As such, sound became my sensory medium of choice as I increasingly became familiar with its affective properties as a precognitive force. From obscuring the narrative voice to repetition and modulation and tapping into embodied registers by integrating breathing patterns, I have designed these experiments with the aim of confronting the audience with the complexity of affective residues tied to my multifaceted psycho-physiological states without reducing them into cognisable frameworks.
This talk will outline my doctoral trajectory centred on performative experiments as a way to communicate my lived experience of migration and exile through sensory registers rather than traditional narration. As such, sound became my sensory medium of choice as I increasingly became familiar with its affective properties as a precognitive force. From obscuring the narrative voice to repetition and modulation and tapping into embodied registers by integrating breathing patterns, I have designed these experiments with the aim of confronting the audience with the complexity of affective residues tied to my multifaceted psycho-physiological states without reducing them into cognisable frameworks.
Discussion
Coffee break
Confessions of a Crypto-Memelord
Vincent Van Meenen
During the beginning of the 2021 crypto bear market, I was working as a memelord for two different crypto-communities, work that I got paid for in specific tokens. In this lecture-presentation I will share my experiences, reflect on the nature of the memes that are being used in these communities, as well as the bias and worldviews they convey. Finally, I will connect crypto memes to my broader research into surrealist creation methods.
During the beginning of the 2021 crypto bear market, I was working as a memelord for two different crypto-communities, work that I got paid for in specific tokens. In this lecture-presentation I will share my experiences, reflect on the nature of the memes that are being used in these communities, as well as the bias and worldviews they convey. Finally, I will connect crypto memes to my broader research into surrealist creation methods.
Louise and Me. An Intimate Liaison. An Exploration of the Empathic Dynamics between the Artist and Her Object of Study
Charlotte Vanhoubroeck
As part of my doctoral research in the arts I am investigating and reactivating the lost sentimental jewellery of Louise-Marie d’Orléans, the first queen of Belgium. During the course of this research, I realised that my work not only derives from art historical research, but also springs from a sense of empathy I foster for Louise. Did she become a friend, an obsession? Do I use her as a mirror, a soul-searching tool? And what am I to her? Curious about how this emotional interplay between us manifests itself, I will try to reveal and define the nature of this liaison.
As part of my doctoral research in the arts I am investigating and reactivating the lost sentimental jewellery of Louise-Marie d’Orléans, the first queen of Belgium. During the course of this research, I realised that my work not only derives from art historical research, but also springs from a sense of empathy I foster for Louise. Did she become a friend, an obsession? Do I use her as a mirror, a soul-searching tool? And what am I to her? Curious about how this emotional interplay between us manifests itself, I will try to reveal and define the nature of this liaison.
Discussion
