DIY: 2017 – Nwando Ebizie & Jonathan Grieve: Creative Neurophenomenology of Perceptual Phenomena

Break Your Reality.

APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED.

Project summary

An intimate and exposing journey into perception, learning and creativity. Challenge your perceptions through a week of sensory deprivation and sensory immersion. An invitation to artists of all disciplines, with and without perceptual disorders, to explore perception through extreme acts of sensory deprivation and immersion. This laboratory is in response to artists Jonathan Grieve and Nwando Ebizie’s own gradual realisation of our perceptual conditions: Synaesthesia and Visual Snow.

We will systematically and deliberately reduce or remove stimuli for one or more of the senses at a time. Conversely, we will then systematically stimulate certain senses. This will include use of flotation tanks, an anechoic chamber and olfactory deprivation. There will be talks and discussions from outside experts to contextualise the experiences. We will also lead sessions on our own physical training, making no adaptations for our neuro-difference.

This will be a personal journey for each participant where you will be asked to reappraise your work and assumptions through a series of experimental sensory tasks; a chance to gain a sense of ownership and acceptance over your own way of seeing the world. Develop in new and unforeseen ways, creating a new lens on yourself as an artist.

Artists Jonathan Grieve and Nwando Ebizie will work alongside neuroscientists and academics including Dr Edward Bracey, Professor John Rothwell and Dr Dick McCaw to create a challenging week of perceptual confusion and artistic clarity.

How to apply

This DIY is for artists in any discipline. We are particularly keen to hear from artists who experience hidden neurological perceptual phenomena such as (but not limited to) Synaesthesia, Visual Snow and other visual illusions, Migraine Aura, Aphantasia, Time perception distortion and any other condition that the artist believes connects to these phenomena. We also have a place for one scientist or science student who is interested in perceptual phenomena.

Participants need to be prepared to have their long-held beliefs about their practice shaken and excited about the potential of engaging with science.

Applications are invited via the link below. A short statement on why you would like to participate is required.

APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED.

Dates, times and location

Dates: 28 Aug – 1 Sept 2017
Location: London

The artists

MAS Productions is an experimental art collective with an interdisciplinary focus on para-theatrical theories. Their most recent production, The Passion of Lady Vendredi received critical acclaim: 5* in TimeOut, 4* The Metropolist, previews in Afropunk and The Evening Standard, features in East End Review, Upcoming, ColoRising, Huck. In February 2017 they produced a one month festival of artistic/scientific research and performance exploring perception: ‘Your Reality is Broken Festival’ – was supported by Arts Admin, Arts Council and Yinka Shonibare’s Guest Projects. Upcoming projects include curating a Friday Spectacular for the Wellcome Collection.

With a commitment to devising experimental performance and music through a unique combination of artforms and practices, the company has created its own genre through conceptualising highly inviting ritualistic spaces within which audience members take an embodied, experiential and sensuous journey through to ecstatic transformations. Through developing a working process entitled ‘Secular Ecstatic Art’ ritual actions from traditional African syncretic religions are combined with Live Art practises exploring image and identity.

For questions about this project, please contact Nwando and Jonathan.

This DIY is supported by Southbank Centre. Ideas originally developed with support from Fuel.