Anti-Adult RUN! RUN! RUN! Masterclass, and a rough guide to a rough concept of an ill-disciplined partnership

摘要

Through the example of a series of public workshops held in Kuopio, Finland, this presentation sketches a rough outline for a mode of enquiry organised through the exploration of a series of productive disciplinary antagonisms. This mode of working together is as much about being ill-disciplined as it is interdisciplinary. Commissioned for the 2015 Anti Festival in Kuopio, the workshops involved grown-ups being led through a series of running-based exercises by children 7-14; in the process drawing them into ways to be spontaneous and playful. Inspirations for this work include psychoanalyst Donald Winnicott’s ‘potential space’ and philosopher Lao Zi’s ‘gentle anarchism’ and being ‘old children’. Indeed, the cultivation of misbehaviour in such a structured manner captures the (paradoxical) tension behind the artist (Kai, Leeds College of Art) and geographer’s (Alan, University College London) idea of a collaboration through productive antagonisms. What is also potentially powerful about this concept is its responsiveness and versatility; it gets ripped apart and parts disposed of, and others consolidated, and tested in the real world. Far from being precious or theoretical, productive antagonisms is rough, and gets roughened up. The presentation itself will perform a form of productive antagonism. The scripted talk will be accompanied by a montage of images and texts, which will dance/battle with one another. It is hoped that at the end of the presentation, colleagues would be keen to join us in our partnership.