Artist Talk - Medientheorie: Lucie Strecker

In her artist talk the German artist will discuss how, since the 20th century, the relationship between ecology and the arts has become increasingly crucial to various concepts of performativity. From this relationship training and working systems have developed, such as biomechanics, somatic dance techniques, and even psychologically realistic acting methods (Giannachi and Steward 2005). As the life sciences have fundamentally changed the meaning of the terms nature and ecology, however, this relationship needs to be rethought throughout this project and practically researched, because the Aristotelian demarcation between nature and technology as a separation between what grows and what does not is no longer valid, as philosopher and biologist Nicole C. Karafyllis has explained. Further, Karafyllis states that as a result of the methods of agritechnology and biotechnology, such as genetic engineering or cloning, life forms can to a large extent also be artificial or technological.

The canon of ideas of new materialism, and in particular the theories of the scientist Karen Barad, who questions the dichotomy between ontology and epistemology, open up new perspectives on the relationship between material and performativity, which have previously only been partially taken into account in the field of performative practice. With the design of an experimental process and the provocative production of a semi-artificial, semi-natural being and the equal treatment of apparatuses, humans, and non-humans this arts-based research questions the history that the performative production of material goes back to and how its alteration through technological renewal will in future change our understanding of ecology and performance art.

Lucie Strecker works as an artist and researcher in the fields of performance art and hybrid art. She is a Fellow of the Berlin University of the Arts and holds a senior postdoc position at the Art and Science Department of the University of Applied Arts Vienna, conducting the FWF Elise Richter PEEK project: “The Performative Biofact”. In collaboration with Klaus Spiess, who heads the Art and Science program at the Medical University Vienna. She has developed performances and installations that have been exhibited inter alia at Tanzquartier Vienna, the Ars Electronica Center, the UCLA Art/Sci Center, the House of World Cultures, Berlin, the Beall Center for Art and Technology, Irvine, the Museum of Natural Science, Vienna, the Onassis Cultural Center, Athens, the Bemis Center for Contemporary Art, Omaha, and the 21er Haus, Vienna. Their works have been awarded the ZIM Performing Science Prize and a Prix Ars Electronica Honorary Mention. She has written about her work in Performance Research, The Lancet, Leonardo, and with Diaphanes publishers and has taught or given guest lectures at the Berlin University of the Arts, the Medical University Vienna, Victoria University of Wellington, the Inter-University Center for Dance Berlin. and the University of California, Los Angeles.

The Guest Lecture Series of Professor Ingeborg Reichle’s seminar Molecular Aesthetics: Living Systems in Art and Biodesign reflects on the transformation of media theory through the rise of biomedia and is an informative and stimulating opportunity to hear from distinguished artists about what’s going on in the emerging fields of bioart and biodesign as well as helping our students to build their network of contacts. Our guest lectures are open to all.

http://luciestrecker.com/