IU111

“The power of a body is not exhausted by the power of existing but is connected to an intensive body that is productive (produces new bodies) and comprehensive (comprehends of all that is produced).”

-Luciana Parisi ‘Abstract Sex: The Essence of a Body’

IU111 is meant to portray an exploration of a nest of ‘Other’, in which​ the project is based on surveillance, where the camera is playing the role as a spectator onlooking these creatures, being an audience to their daily habits and how the ‘Other’ interact with each other. This creates the illusion of a direct window to this foreign environment. The focus of this piece was to be able to sonically and visually represent this nest of Other, emphasizing the similarities in species homogeneity. This was also meant to be challenged by presenting something alien and daunting, which leaves the spectator in an intrusive role as well, looking onto organisms in which they don’t understand fully. This cumulates to an unnerving atmosphere that is emphasized by the erraticism in the way the subjects move. The score is meant to move with the dancers’ unorthodox motion and the sound evolves with the experience of the ritualistic encounter. 

I wanted to show this nest of Other in their natural state, awakening, and having an inkling that they’re being perceived as time moves forward. The movement of the camera is meant to be almost like a drone, watching them as they move, backing away as they become more frightening and moving closer when they become more vulnerable.

The ceramic pieces are all part of the IU111 diaspora, showing their connection to the creatures through the similar textures on their skin in comparison to the constructed textures on the clay.

Luciana Parisi’s ‘Abstract Sex: provided lots of insight on this exploration of the body and mutations and the Other:

 “The elimination of a given cause is reiterated by already given effects (universal signifiers). The emphasis is different but the method is identical as it imposes the disqualification of the potential capacities of a body to mutate without being subsumed to a transcendent power (Ideas, God or signifiers). The postmodern analysis of the body as no longer shaped by modern technoscientific discourses (organic biology and evolution of the species), fails to explain the biodigital mutations of sex involving intensive–extensive variations rather than a shift from one discourse about the body to another.”

IU111 creatures are meant to challenge these views of the human body, emphasized by the movement of their bodies, moving into and out of submission, erraticism and catharsis.