ADN Satellite Symposium 2017: Dramaturgies of the Social & Cultural

For 15 years, DAVID PLEDGER has prosecuted the idea of dramaturgy as an operating system in the circle of artistic practice and its wider application to cultural and social circles. In this keynote, he unpacks the source of his idea and its trajectory from the artistic work of his company, not yet it’s difficult (nyid), to his biennial happening 2970° The Boiling Point.

Speakers are invited to share their artistic works and thoughts that involve the notion of arts galvanising public spaces, special interest groups, different publics and communities through various social themes and issues. They will then engage in dialogue to expand and elaborate on their talking points.

The session will begin with opening remarks from ADN founding director LIM HOW NGEAN.

CHARLENE RAJENDRAN argues that a dramaturg’s engagement through active presence, deep listening and political consciousness, are critical dimensions in performance-making that push artists to take on leadership roles in relation to their artistic choices. Particularly in the development of experimental interdisciplinary and intercultural work, a dramaturg deals with the dynamics of difference through questions and responses, provocations and suggestions, advocating for change that shifts a balance of power. Navigating the tensions, uncertainties and precarities that surface becomes part of the creative work that a dramaturg facilitates, making difference a catalyst for aesthetic agency.

This roundtable will begin with a provocation from each speaker on their artistic experiences dealing with difference in socio-cultural milieu through their work in performances or the arts in general. What are some of the ways in which cultural difference – or just plain difference – is mediated in/through performance? What are the urgent issues within the broad theme of cultural difference in today's artistic works? How does an artist negotiate just plain old difference in his/her works? The speakers will present their views on some of these questions and dialogue between each other to highlight urgent matters on culture, society and the arts.

In this special dialogue session, the speakers will tease out some of the themes or topics in their earlier keynote lectures and engage with them. 

Chair: Lim How Ngean