MIKAEL SCHERDIN

Disruptive Studies

Disruptive studies is the overarching theme of a long term, practice based research project. It consists of theoretical writing; (1) dirty aesthetics, (2) the theoretical concept of the hyper real and, (3) misperception, as well as practical works with "objects". This project take its start, with inspiration from earlier pieces (search for e.g. Subway, 1999; 4 Neg, 1999; Pseudophobia I, 2001), and with refreshed ideas from a recent prestudy performed together with representatives from the telecom company TeliaSonera and the Swedish Royal Institute of Technology. An important area of studies in applied sciences, concerning development in optic technologies for telecom purposes, is to study disruptive behaviour and its different aspects. Important, for instance ,to reveal new and unexpected consumer behaviour, sudden changes from new technologies or rebellious use of new technologies (like music downloads), wiping out the old. Taking a start in this direction - "disruptive use of technologies", it can clearly be seen that some of the earlier works has been in the tangent of this direction.Therefore it seems natural to work with "disruptive studies" as a parallell to the present work with the theoretical writings on e.g. "dirty aesthetics". Disruptive use of thechnology is quite similar and could be come a fruitful thread for performing a prestudy the nextcoming few months in trying to produce new forms of "objects"  - "disruptive objects" ? (jan. 2009 - march 2009).

Publication space:  The studio

(studio view, jan 2009)

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(example from earlier video clip, 2005)

Presentation text: In this present explorative art and research project, it feels natural to include both tfragments from the theoretical aesthetic field, as well as my practiced based research. Still, it is not without trouble when having a view from the subjective, even when trying to frame it into "aesthetics", when looking into subjective creation processes. This project is therefore set to be explorative, first in terms of the practice in the studio, followed by continuous auto-ethnographic writing, and eventually finalizing this paper in progress, on the nature of real time aesthetics, based on the whole creation process.

In this present explorative art and research project, it feels natural to include both fragments from the theoretical aesthetic field, as well as the practiced based research. Still, it is not without trouble when having a view from the subjective, even when trying to frame it into "aesthetics", when looking into creation processes. This project is therefore set to be explorative, first in terms of the practice in the studio, followed by continuous auto-ethnographic writing, and eventually finalizing this paper in progress, on the nature of real time aesthetics, based on the whole creation process.

The whole process is expected to be on for some six months, with a start in November 2008. It will be performed under the overarching theoretical focus and theme of "the nature and aspects of real time." Three main threads are initially under investigation, (1) dirty aesthetics, (2) the theoretical concept of the hyper real and, (3) misperception. Each of these three topics is considered as papers in progress, and will eventually be merged together. Possibly accompanied with "objcets" as well.

This is the first of three tentative papers in progress (dirty aesthetics, the theoretical concept of the hyper real and, misperception). It represents one specific research aspect of "the nature of real time", which is the overarching theme of this investigation.

Having been working with aesthetic expressions in opposition against the "clean" as one of the tracks over the year, I have found it tempting to summarize and develop it in a theoretical way as well. I am drawing upon a recent article talking about "dirty electronics, as a metaphor describing a trend in electronic music, (which) encompasses a notion of the post digital, the self-made and do-it-yourself in a contrast to the mass-produced, and the reinvigoration of the role of the human body in the process of electronic music"[i].

The way of describing it as "dirty",  is an approach and an attitude I have had in my work over the years which can be seen and explored in (see. portfolio e.g.: 4-Neg, 1999; Subway, 1999; Pseudophobia I, 2001).

After having made a de-tour in the complete digital (see. Portfolio e.g.: 10 years daydream, 2005), my practice based research is back in the hands of the embodiment of the interaction between technology, the interaction, the re-construction, of existing technology into something different. Perhaps as a return to the tactile relationship[ii] with the materials. In my case it is the direct work with video cameras, electronics, and the  potential of mis-using technologies and equipments in other surpricing ways,  but still not forgetting the digital era or the digital practice - to keep being informed with the digital practice.

The present, practice based research, is deliberately trying to use an idea originally from 2005, and then sorted out (by our artist collective beeoff) when working in another major direction: the full digital. In one of the many experiments, a failure in a cord, gave a particular effect (Example in photo/Video), but never finalized. It is now, a perfect opportunity to reinstate that idea again into a fresh new practice based experiment, under the heading "The Dirty Box". The work with the dirty box, is similar to the concept of Do-It-Yourself (DIY), as a new turn for the NIME community[iii].

(Dirty Box, december 2008)

[i] Richards, 2008.  Getting the Hands Dirty, Leonardo Music Journal, 2008:25.

[ii] Finer, 2006. (From the article: Getting the hands dirty, by John Richards. Leonardo Music Journal, 2008:25.)