York University’s School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design (AMPD) had a notable presence at the Prague Quadrennial's 2024 Technology Symposium, an international event that bought together performance designers, scenographers, artists and researchers from across the globe.
This year, the symposium explored how both advanced and traditional technologies are reshaping the world of performance, covering topics from digital scenography to biometrics in performance design.
Among the attendees was Ian Garrett, Associate Professor in the Department of Theatre, Dance and Performance, who attended in support of his students and has a long-standing relationship with the PQ, having previously served as a curator for the United States and supporter of the Canadian exhibition. He was joined at the event by both alumni and current students from AMPD.
“As the most represented university in the PQ Symposium program and considering that two out of the three AMPD presenters are or were international students, I think it shows our international leadership in the field,” says Garrett.
Alexandra Caprara (BA ‘19), an alumna from AMPD’s Theatre program, presented Making Strange: Creating Abstract Perceptions of the Body, Space, and Time with Light. Through her presentation, she examined how lighting technology can be used to abstract perspectives and inform new understandings of our relationship to physical space, time and the body in live performance.
“My time at AMPD taught me that the work you make will come out of what’s in the room,” says Caprara. “In this new age of fancy new tech tools, it’s important to consider the frameworks we’re using to approach how we think of design in a creation process.”
Also presenting was Michaela Pnacek, a recent PhD graduate and ELIA scholar in Cinema and Media Studies, an award-winning XR creator, who delivered a presentation titled Embodied Data: Biometrics and Embodied Design in Theatre and Performance.
Pnacek examined how to ethically and critically implement biometrics—such as models, datasets, sensors and other devices—in performance art and theatre, addressing the significant implications these technologies have for both artists and audiences.
When reflecting on her experience and its relevance to York’s focus on innovation, she stated, “I am proud to be part of the AMPD cohort which promotes issues in new technologies and their applications in performance arts such as autonomy, agency, privacy, consent, co-creation and connection.”
Sana Akram, an urbanist and new media documentary maker currently pursuing a PhD in Cinema and Media Studies, also presented her work at the symposium as part of a panel titled Rethinking the Notion of Technologies.
“My work is driven by the interdisciplinary ethos encouraged across the departments at AMPD and supported by excellent expertise in media arts and performance design at York University,” says Akram.
The Prague Quadrennial’s 2024 Technology Symposium not only showcased the innovative research and creative work of AMPD’s students and alumni, but also highlighted York University’s leadership on the global stage, exploring new possibilities at the intersection of technology and performance.
“This speaks to AMPD’s healthy atmosphere for collaborative innovation across disciplines, institutions and borders,” Akram noted.
For more information on the Prague Quadrennial and the Symposium, visit https://pq.cz/