SKEIN:
Textile, algorithm, flock of geese; Entanglement of matter and meaning.
Skein is the self-defined lens through which Stephanie is approaching her work. This allows her to see the work from 3 sides: as a fabric, algorithm, and flocking pattern. Skein incorporates both corporeality, the material manifestation and carnality, the socially built space.
She is specifically oriented to minimalist tendencies and the emphasis on neutrality emerging from Yvonne Rainer’s study. When the dominant form is extracted, the indexical sign is revealed. Awareness of what is removed becomes the surplus product.
How do we use neutrality?
Can I give form to this neutrality?
How to queer the frame of neutrality? How to subvert he neutral?
Exercise:
We played a type of charades with iconic works testing out on the others if they could still guess the work after stripping it down to neutral.
What are personal observations of what neutrality is?
Examples of what might be removed to arrive at a neutral index sign:
Attitude, angle of the look, perspective of seduction, presenting the body, constellation of the sexes, moving from the pelvis, emphasis on territory, stylized walk
The amplification of symbolic tragic dimension, intention, consciousness of gaze, removing emotional gestures, dynamics, cultural meanings of movements
Color, make-up, costume, dynamics, gravity, control of plié
Excessive arm patterns and movements, looking at own body as expression removed but including audience focus. Walk like falling, not articulated. Hesitation removed, lifted shoulders removed because it’s emotional. Facial expression removed.
