An Approach to Teaching Digital Interactive Performance

Abstract

By its complexity, performance art remains one of the most expressive art forms, although difficult to define, as some would argue. The use of media  technologies in performance brought a significant enrichment to the artistic expression ever since the first experiments with video art, and broke the  barriers between visual arts, cinema, and performing arts. New media and the revolution in communication brought by the Internet increased the  complexity of the artistic productions that incorporate digital interactive technologies, making it very difficult to assess the artistic artefacts that tend to fall  between art and science. The paper is presenting an approach to teaching digital interactive performance theory and practice, by providing a framework  necessary for the development of definitions and taxonomies as well as an understanding of the interdisciplinary aspect of the practice of this emerging  artistic genre. The analysis of the narrative discourse that pertains to certain forms of digital performance and the discussion about the esthetic,  philosophical or technological aspects is significantly improved by the identification of the main critical paradigms that subscribe them. The paradigms  discussed – subscribed to performance studies, digital culture, performing arts and human computer interaction – were developed considering the  Romanian context of academic performing arts studies, that focuses almost exclusively on theatre and lacks a tradition in performance studies. The  synthesis research about the digital interactive performance opens the discussion about cultivating an educational context appropriate for training artists  capable to develop artistic productions relevant in the context of the new arts. The current pedagogical approach needs to be replaced by a heutagogical  one, where practical and collaborative projects can be tackled in an innovative, inter-disciplinary framework. Such an approach is not formally possible in the  current academic settings, but can be hosted by the university in interdisciplinary research centers and other artistic production contexts.