Towards a Connective and Ecosophical New Media Art Practice

Abstract

The design of Intimate Transactions was inspired
by a range of discourses and practices drawn from the
fields of critical ecologies, new media and innovative
performance practices. At its core is what I refer to as an
ecosophical praxis. Underpinned by an engagement with
aspects of critical ecology, such a praxis sits within a
social and political agenda that emphasises the integral
place of social relationships within ecological systems.
Because of its emphasis on relationships, an ecosophical
praxis involves a socially driven approach to art practice.
Collaboration and interactivity guide both the production
of art and the design of how it will be experienced.
Within the development of Intimate Transactions, I
have therefore taken on the role of interdisciplinary
collaborator and I have resituated audiences as
performers who engage with ecological issues through
their interactions with both the artwork and other
participants. While this approach of combining ecological
concerns with collaboration in production and experience
is subtle and non-didactic, it ultimately governs every
aspect of the work.

In this essay, I will elaborate upon the ecosophical
principles that have influenced the design of Intimate
Transactions. I will also reflect upon the iterative design
process and the progress of Intimate Transactions
towards its current iteration as a participatory, embodied,
networked and collaborative new media artwork. By
charting the gradual refinement of its design, I will show
how this project has come to fulfil Gablik’s prediction
of art that facilitates an understanding of complex
ecological concerns and social participation.