Output details

BORDERLINE. (Installation with live performance. Exhibited at: Culturelab, Newcastle University (26.2.2013), Inspace, Edinburgh University (1.11.12-17.11.12), Arnolfini Gallery in Bristol (4.5.2012). Associated paper, Leishman, D. (2012).”Out of Place: Digital In-Grouping ”,in Remediating The Social. ELMCIP, University of Edinburgh. 2012 pp. 129-133)

In investigating community formation and social ontologies Leishman produced a new dual interaction system, Borderline, where two users via real-time improvisational action, interact within an audio-visual environment that visualizes disruption, fragmentation, disassociation and hysteria (characteristics of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)) which is performed through image, movement and structure. The two participants choose to be social: to improvise /play/perform harmoniously together – creating a legible coherent experience for the audience or be antisocial: to be separate or in conflict with both the narrative display and indeed with each other. Rather than having a therapeutic goal, BPD is used within Borderline as an analogy to describe contemporary issues around social identity formation. This aspect is further investigated in the associated peer-reviewed paper Leishman, D. (2012).”Out of Place: Digital In-Grouping ”.

Commissioned by HERA-funded research project ELMCIP (Electronic Literature as a Model of Creativity and Innovation in Practice). The project's research process-included investigation into BPD as a means to create the audio-visual environment and technological experimentation to create a new input device that repurposes two graphic tablets via Max/MSP application using MIDI data to communicate between the tablets triggering programmed audio-visual responses by using the tablet pen’s XY coordinates and tilt data. Dr Stephen Gibson (Northumbria University) assisted with the programming and sound production. User testing and feedback was gained from public demonstrations at Arnolfini (ELMCIP event on performance) and at Newcastle University (part of an AHRC funded Real-time Visuals Workshop).

The findings of the project revealed that novice performers deemed the input device intuitive enough to act as a transparent interface allowing engagement with the audio-visual content and that the immediacy of their gestural action and audi-visual reaction allowed them to construct their chosen performance of a dual unity or active conflict with the other performer.