Elective - Stange Ritual
2020
University of Newcastle
School of Architecture + Built Environment
Strange Ritual is a title inspired by David Byrne, the artist and musician from Talking Heads. His song and book, both bearing the same title, delve into the bizarre inconsistencies he encountered during his travels to Japan, India, Mexico, Indonesia, and the United States. As a compulsive collector who categorises and archives in my art and architecture practice, Byrne's exploration of perception and cultural oddities resonates with me and informs my creative process.
The concept of Exquisite Corpse, invented by the Surrealists, forms a central reference for this project. Also known as cadavre exquis in its original French, it is a collaborative method where a collection of words or images is assembled in sequence. Each participant adds to the composition, either by adhering to a specific rule or by being permitted to view only the last part of what the previous contributor has made. The process encourages a spontaneous, collective construction of meaning with no singular authorial ownership.
For the Surrealists, the Exquisite Corpse was a tool for experimentation—designed to disrupt habitual patterns of thought and creative reliance on fixed stylistic conventions. This collaborative game enabled a process of unfettered creativity, allowing new connections to emerge that might not have been considered in more traditional, individualistic practices.
In this project, participants will create their own architectural exquisite assemblages with new rules and structures. The installation will unfold in four steps, but departing from the traditional body sections of head, torso, legs, and feet. The process is designed to be open-source: all participants can view, add to, and remove from the work. However, each individual is limited to altering only their designated section within the collaborative space. This allows for an ongoing, dynamic interaction between contributors, maintaining the spirit of collective authorship and shared experimentation.
Credits: Joshua Bron, Hanzhi Romina, Joseph Kitson, Jackson Voorby