Artist Statement

Keywords: Post-Anthropocene, artistic research, bio-art, sonification, in-disciplinarity

What could we think of when we speak of a post-Anthropocene and how does this affect the way we engage in a creative process? For his upcoming project ‘The origin #1’ Abel is working on a live audio-visual performance which functions as a collaboration between performer, computer and physarum, a collaboration between man, technology, and protist. How do you take a more emissarial position regarding the piece and all its components? Through engaging with the materiality and the autonomy of all the separate parts you arrive at new strategies and new artistic problems. In this the origin #1 is an experiment in a post-anthropocentric making. The project and the research are about dealing with the inherent otherness of big environmental actors the likes of technological structures and the planet in moments of environmental catastrophe. Through exploring these external forces, learn more about our own human position.

This artistic research is done alongside three musical installations which bridge technology, biology, and performance. In his talk Abel will expand on the process of designing voices for biological processes like beehive behaviors, building a synthesizer out of hybrid bio electronic components, or how he tackles sonification of the bitcoin blockchain. In his design process and performative work, he deals with the notion of a post Anthropocene and how to deal with a limited authorship in a creative process where nature and chance play a big part. How to function as an emissary to your work instead of an all-knowing author. Thus, switching up an understanding of the function of the artist that has been part of dominant thinking since the
enlightenment.

• Abel Enklaar (NL) is an in-disciplinary creator and director who works on the crossover between new media, technology, art and society. Currently student of the ‘Master in Theatre’ program at the institute for performative arts in Maastricht, The Netherlands where he is part of the research group ‘technology driven art’. In his current research practice, he is focused on new creative strategies for a post-Anthropocene. Taking into account forces of nature and technology as agents that are addressed in the creative process. Abel is intrigued by the relationships between technologies, their users and environments. This interest is explored in theatrical experiences, performances, publications and installations that bridge multiple disciplines and media. This leads to innovative experiences dealing with the current techno-political discourse and which urge audiences to become more aware of their own relationship with new technologies.