Abstract (long paper)

Keywords: Audiovisual Installation; Ecological Performativity; Agency; New Materialism; Systems Theory; Ontology; Autopoiesis; Cognition; Interconnectedness; Practice-based research.

This paper stems from my practice-based research as a composer of collaborative multimedia works. The majority of artifacts that result are audiovisual installations that explore new relationships from an ecological perspective—that is—the perspective that considers the world to be a network of interconnected and interdependent phenomena. In an attempt to contextualize my research and explore new possibilities for creative practice, I have become interested in a number of theories about the agency and performativity of living and non-living systems. I present several of these theories within a historical context, and describe the audiovisual installations Aspects of Trees, Undercurrent, and the work-inprogress, Bridgings, all of which illustrate my evolving practice and ontological notion of Ecological Performativity.

Introduction
Over the past twenty years, my creative practice as a composer has increasingly become a multidisciplinary and collaborative endeavor. This work has been an enriching enterprise covering numerous perspectives that have expanded both my artistic practice and philosophical thoughts on creativity. In order to develop a supportive discourse for these creative activities, and explore new patterns of inquiry and networks of communication, I have recently been drawn to several scholarly discussions about the agency and performativity of living and non-living systems. In this paper I present several of these dialogues in their historical context, and give a descriptive account of the audiovisual installations, Aspects of Trees, Undercurrent, and the work-in-progress, Bridgings, which illustrate my evolving practice and ontological notion of Ecological Performativity.

• Teresa Marie Connors (CA), The University of Waikato Hamilton, New Zealand. She is active as an acoustic/electroacoustic composer, opera singer, film scorer, and multimedia installation artist. She is currently completing a practice- based PhD at Waikato University that includes developing new techniques and methodologies for multimedia collaborations. Teresa holds a Master of Music degree (1st class honours) in composition from Waikato University and studied both composition and opera singing at Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia as well as the Banff Center for the Arts (CA). Her creative works have received awards and support from the Canada Council for the Arts, British Columbia Arts Council, Bravo Fact and have been presented at international conferences, film festivals, and galleries including: NZ International Film Festival (2015), Jihlava International Documentary Festival (2015), ISEA (2015), Balance-Unbalance (2015, 2013), TIES (2014 & 2013), EMS (2014), Vancouver Internation Film Festival (2010 & 2009). divatproductions.com