July 2020
Proceedings of EVA London 2020 (EVA 2020)
AI and the Arts: Artificial Imagination
6th July – 9th July 2020
It is undeniable that digital technologies transformed contemporary artistic practice and cultural production. Particularly in the field of the performing arts, technology changed the relationship with the public narrative processes, creating an avenue to investigate contemporary dramaturgical practices. This paper investigates the dramaturgical transformations as a result of the increasing use of robotics in performance with the support of theories of Marianne Van Kerkhoven (2009a; 2009b) Katalin Trencsényi, Bernadette Cochrane (Trencsényi & Cochrane 2014) and Peter Eckersall (Eckersall et all 2017). Based on this theoretical framework, this paper looks into themes and narrative strategies that explore the relationship and emotional connection between humans and robots. This is done through the analysis of the Hirata Oriza, Mari Velonaki, Blanca Li or Max Dean. To further the study of a dramaturgy of robots and machines, this paper analyses the concept systematurgy (Antúnez 2016), a methodology that provides an insight into Marcel-Lí Antúnez’s body of work. Systematurgy demonstrates how Antúnez articulates technology and machine-like elements within a dramaturgical process. Unlike traditional theatre, Antúnez’s dramaturgical model is not focused on the textual elements but integrates coding, image, drawing, robotic and mechanical elements into the narrative structures of performance.
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