[ISEA2008] Artist Talk: Francesco Monico – TAFKAV: The Artist Formerly Know As Vanda

Artist Statement

TAFKAV aims to explore a poetic interpretation of communication as “text” flowing between particular subjects (plants) and humans. The hermeneutic circle describes a process of understanding a dynamic relationship and refers to the idea that one’s understanding of the whole is established by reference to the constituent parts and vice versa for a new relationship with nature for survival in our contemporary era.

This essay does not rely on any common base of information, so any that exists has to be created and then offered to the other in such a way that the other is able to discover its significance. First, the bases for an information exchange have to be set up, trough the establishment of an hetical context. Then, after that, we can activate the communication exchange.

At least TAFKAV is also an artistic interactive-installation that will explore communication with the flower-plant Orchids Vanda. An installation that explores the possibility, and attendant problems, of establishing communication where none yet exists. The aim of this experiment is to build a potential flow of human-plant information flow that generate a rhythm or pace and a series of constants that can then be codified – arbitrary, as with all sign systems – in a system of communication and hence a system of meaning between humans and others.

There is a distinct possibility that, once established, this exchange may reveal to us unexpected insights into our reality. Its very important to understand that the text (the paper that descript the theory, the experimentum…the installation) is part of the work, that’s why this art-research interactive work is based on a written part and on an installation. The written part is in fact part of the interactive installation and should not be considered less important, it stems from the experience. This relationship between the installation and the writing represents the relationship that exists between an experience and the fact of its being shared – its objectivization or communication. This relation paper-istallation take form as the printed copies of a scientific text and the ‘sound description’ (as a ‘radio bok’) that can be dowloadable trought an hardware memory.