Hester Reeve

Philosophy because the world matters

ABSTRACT “Philosophy Because the World Matters” promotes a valorization of philosophy as a practice able to activate an individuals relationship making to “having a life” and, in turn, to allow the unfolding self-illumination (qua onto-ethical capacity) to effect a constructive world-thinking and hence world-building with others. These education-based workshops with recovering addicts at Her Majestys Prison Lancaster Castle, UK were influenced by my experience of David Bohms ‘Dialogue’ and my interest in Paulo Freires notion of “critical consciousness.” I made a drawing after most sessions, copies of which were distributed to participants to enable further reflection and to honor their discoveries.

Live code, live art and the BwO dissection

ABSTRACT This extended artist statement formulates some provocations to the possibilities of live performance which have been prompted by my involvement in a collaborative project between live coders and live artists. Acknowledging that both art forms share a pre-performance conception–operation frame work which then unfolds through live improvisation, I explore the differences in how each discipline summons the body (‘extended carnality’ in the case of live coding and ‘critical subjectivity’ in the case of live art) in order to provide fertile ground for each practice to challenge the presuppositions of the other. The formulation of my core concerns is facilitated through reference to Deleuze and Guattari’s BwO (body without organs).