Turbulens (Performance)

Turbulens - performance for two oscillating fans was debuted at Scenekunsthus Aarhus on oct 12- 2017.

This was an improvised performance using two fans for sound input.

The input was sent through 4 different chains of analogue and digital effect pedals where it is also looped.
The speed of the oscillating fans is controlled at points through out the performance.

The performance was an exploration and contemplation on human and robotic interaction, from a cybernetics point of view.
It portrays the human subject (desperately) trying to control variables of time, space and action, while ultimately surrendered and in dependency to the natural phenomenon of wind, and mere physics, to obtain a material to shape and turn into an aesthetic object/experience. 

Through out the performance, the audience were physically involved by virtue of their proximity to the stage; meaning, the wind would "touch" the audience each time the fans oscillated out towards them. This created an experience that was not only sonically immersive, but also cemented on a haptic level.

The premiere session (15 minutes) finished with an opportunity for the audience to weigh in on their experience, which raised interesting references and experiences/themes of profound fear and hope.

The subsequent discussion among the audience and the sharing of memories based on the semantic "transaction" of "being given the experience of sound"(to paraphrase an audience member) was interesting as the role of neither the fans nor the performer (the entire mise-en-scene) seemed significant once the subjective reflection upon the significance and meaning of the heard sound (white noise) - based on individual experience and references- fully kicked in.

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Although this was a short discussion, it leads to wondering how the presence of the human and the mechanic, in terms of their gestalt, matter to the spectator. One my argue that the subjective experience is everything, and in a world of increasing use of artificial intelligence, we could question if it actually matters to the recipient if the producing entity is one or the other. 

In a race of stamina, surely the non-human robotic or mechanic system will win. If the purpose of the performance is really at matter of the audience experience, then in light of the human's short comings, could we argue that the future of performance doesn't require human presence as long at the recipient's needs are fulfilled?