IMPLEMENTING AWE AND PLEASURE IN PERFORMANCE VIA EXISTING
WITH JAKE TKACZYK
Image: Picture of a neon sign in a store window in Berlin on a dérive. Photo taken by Jake Tkaczyk, 2022.
This participatory session combines the unpredictable nature of dérive with the enigmatic qualities of awe and pleasure to cultivate a unique platform for performance art experimentation. Participants will be guided through urban drifts, discovering uncharted creative territories within the city, all while embracing the emotive and sensory dimensions of awe and pleasure.
Course goals
This session serves as a very broad introductory exploration of Guy Debord's dérive and its application in the realm of performance art. Through this we will be delving into the nebulous realms of emotional and sensory responses, examining the impact of awe and pleasure on the creative process.We will also: - Create facilitated dérive experiences through carefully selected urban settings, encouraging participants to surrender control to spontaneity. Incorporation of elements designed to evoke awe and pleasure, providing a rich tapestry for artistic exploration. - Ponder on the experiences encountered during the urban drift, emphasizing the subjective nature of awe and pleasure. Artistic expression sessions, embracing a variety of mediums to encapsulate the essence of the dérive and the emotional nuances discovered. - Showcase the outcomes of their creative endeavors, inspired by the workshop's experiences. An open-ended forum for sharing personal insights, challenges, and revelations stemming from the amalgamation of dérive, awe, and pleasure. This aspires to equip participants with a nuanced comprehension of dérive, infusing awe and pleasure into their artistic endeavors. This workshop aims to foster an environment where participants can reshape their understanding of performance art by embracing ambiguity and the dynamic interplay between personal expression and the urban environment.
Schedule
Quick introduction, short presentation on Guy Debord and his dérive, concept of awe and pleasure as Jake utilizes them in praxis, and introduction of the activity. (20 mins)
Participatory exercise in pair (or trio if needed) (40 mins)
Follow up exercise of content generation (15 mins)
Questions and shared reflection (15 mins)
Required readings
Tannahill, J., 2016. Why Live? A Question for 21st Century Theatre. World Literature Today, 90(1). (4 pages)
Suggested Readings
Schultz, H. (2013) The Society of the Spectacle. (1 hr, 15 mins)
other assignments
Prior to the workshop, take a short walk of the area around where the session will happen, and find a place that you really find beautiful or that you love.
BIO
Jake Tkaczyk is a Sterling Award and Betty Mitchell Award nominated, theatre artist with a passion for creating new and engaging work collaboratively. He graduated from the BFA Acting at the University of Alberta and is currently in the midst of his PhD in Creative Practice from the Transart Institute and Liverpool John Moores’ University. He is currently the General Manager at Workshop West Playwrights’ Theatre. Jake recently received the AFA Young Artist Prize.