SpaceTime Performance — situational plans
Two complete versions of a score for an encounter: objects define a movable boundary for action, while successive interventions establish a relationship with what has already happened in the space.
Both plans are available in nine languages. The other three texts in the STP programmatic collection remain in Polish; their full translations are in preparation.
The Polish originals are preserved unchanged. In translation, fused words in N2 have been separated, and the syntax of its point 9 has been interpreted with the help of the parallel passage in N1. Content distinguishing the two versions has not been transferred between them.
Creation and modification dates come from the Facebook export metadata. They are not performance dates or confirmation that the text has remained unchanged since its creation.
N1 — expanded version
- Note created (UTC)
- Modified according to export (UTC)
Example situational plan for an STP encounter
Let us test an idea inspired by Grotowski’s Przedsięwzięcie Góra (Mountain Project), Artaud’s theatre, the actions of Fluxus and Dada, and Akademia Ruchu, and adopt the following premises as a starting point for creating a mutual relationship within SpaceTime Performance:
- Objects are laid on the ground around a defined area.
- The objects constitute the conventional boundary of SpaceTime Performance, a movable boundary.
- The objects are very diverse; their number and arrangement are variable.
- Spectators gather around STP.
- Among the spectators are several conscious performers.
- The conscious performers naturally initiate actions within STP.
- Anyone who acts within STP is called a performer.
- Each performer has the objects lying around STP at their disposal.
- The initiating performer enters STP. They select objects and/or bring their own, using them to perform their own performance. They may also use only their body. When they finish, they leave STP.
- During or after this, another artist enters STP. Their task is to respond* to their predecessor’s action, since the existing situation bears traces of another performer’s presence or is simply affected by that performer. By using objects, performers change the boundaries of STP. No performer is obliged to use their predecessor’s objects. A performer may use any of the objects lying around. They may also use personal objects they have with them, including clothing, which they have not incorporated into the zone’s boundary. A performer may also use no objects at all, but only their body, their presence or absence, or any other devices. They may also move the zone’s boundaries freely by disturbing its perimeter, the objects surrounding it. Furthermore, a performer need not wait for another to finish if they consider it the right moment to begin their own action. Every performer must understand that their action will always take place in relation to the actions of the others, and that the whole of SpaceTime Performance will always reflect this performing relationship. Only then will they grasp the foundations of what SpaceTime Performance is.
*A ‘response’ means the action of a ‘new’ performer that relates to the predecessor’s action. ‘Relating’ may be any act of dialogue, commentary, parody or any other relationship between actions. Within STP, every action is a performance; if a performer wishes to interrupt or end their action, they must step outside the STP boundary. Implicitly, however, STP expands as each successive performer enters, because, as already stated, its boundaries consist of objects that are moved.
N2 — shorter version
- Note created (UTC)
- Modified according to export (UTC)
Example situational plan for an STP encounter
Let us test an idea inspired by Grotowski’s Przedsięwzięcie Góra (Mountain Project), Artaud’s theatre, the actions of Fluxus and Dada, and Akademia Ruchu, and adopt the following premises as a starting point for creating a mutual relationship within STP:
- Objects are laid on the ground around a defined area.
- The objects constitute the conventional boundary of SpaceTime Performance, a movable boundary.
- The objects are very diverse; their number and arrangement are variable.
- Spectators gather around STP.
- Among the spectators are several conscious performers.
- The conscious performers naturally initiate actions within STP.
- Anyone who acts within STP is called a performer.
- Each performer has the objects lying around STP at their disposal.
- The initiating performer enters STP. They select objects and/or bring their own, using them to perform their own performance. They may also use only their body. When they finish, they leave STP.
- During or after this, another artist enters STP. Their task is to respond* to their predecessor’s action, because the existing situation bears traces of another performer’s presence or is simply affected by that performer. By using objects, performers change the boundaries of STP. No performer is obliged to use their predecessor’s objects. A performer may use any of the objects lying around. They may also use personal objects they have with them, including clothing, which they have not incorporated into the zone’s boundary. A performer may also use no objects at all. They may move the zone’s boundaries freely by disturbing its perimeter, the objects surrounding it. Furthermore, a performer need not wait for another to finish if they consider that beginning their own action will take place in relation to the other person’s action.
*A ‘response’ means the action of a ‘new’ performer that relates to the predecessor’s action. ‘Relating’ may be any act of dialogue, commentary, parody or any other relationship between actions. Within STP, every action is a performance; if a performer wishes to interrupt or end their action, they must step outside the STP boundary. Implicitly, however, STP expands as each successive performer enters, since its boundaries are, after all, objects that are moved.