Zero Platform IV: Life on Screen - TOUCH #2 - Ilka Theurich
19th of December 2020
TOUCH
#02 by Ilka Theurich
Questions concerning the relationship between digital media and touch have become central during the Covid19 pandemic. As a sense modality, touch has been both over- and undervalued in Western culture, but between March 2020 and March 2021 a lot of people felt a real lack of touch during online conversations with colleagues, friends and family. And as an effect out of it, there is a new practical knowledge around the world. Before the pandemic, touch has been often considered as vague, vulgar, drive-related or impure. But since the pandemic, touch was recognized as a potentially positive and subversive quality.
This online performance by Ilka Theurich deals with different dimensions of touch, whereby touch is not only a question of sensory experience or physical performance but also a question of the technology that stands between the performance artist and the recipient. Theurich questions if it is really possible to develop vulnerability, exposure and depth, delicacy and tact inside an online performance? And because of her critical media attitude with regard to visual live performances, this was also just the second online performance that Ilka Theurich implemented. And it was directly related to her first one which was streamed live at the 26th of November 2020. You will find the video of TOUCH #01 here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9U-oqecM5O8
During TOUCH #02 the performance happened in the heart of London and the technology was different. Just a simple labtop camera transported and recorded the action.
