AN I LEARNING YOU

During a month-long residency in January 2021, Ria Girard developed a dance performance in the LAF offspace with the General Adversarial Network (STYLEGAN 2). Girard investigated machinic perception in regard to the moving body. Based on this research a collaborative exchange emerged. The outcomes were presented in a spacial concept that also provided a frame for a performance and exhibhtion.

sound: Anjana Berger
project coordination, szenography, video: Kosmas Dinh
exhibited photography: Adrian Schindler
animation, print: Linn Holweger

SPACES

-Foil cave: The moving foils form a fluid, enveloping, womblike space. Poetry from Girard, displayed on the foils, reacts to subtle movements of the bodys inside the structure.
-Medusa: An opposing structure, that by vibrating between artificial and mythical realms, emulates endless visions of hybrid decentralized identities.
-AI assemblage: Morphed and disassembled body fragments, imagery that is generated from the dancer‘s body. Here it is displayed in an assemblage of human sized flags

PERFORMANCE

In a playful negotiation with the general adversarial network, Girard developed a choreography. On the basis of hundreds of images of her body, the algorithm generated new versions of a disassembled selves. Girard then translated these technomorph representations of her body into movements. During the performance she extended the exchange loop between bodies and algorithm, by absorbing and reiterating the behaviour of spectators.