Page 161 - Tributaries Catalogue
P. 161
Reconfiguring the everyday: Performance art
against plastic pollution
Dr Rudman teamed up with her son and curiosity produce the
Luke Rudman to present a paper at semblance of knowledge but
The Tributaries Project Colloquium without authentic understanding or
(Nov 20). Plastic pollution, they experience, which then leads to a
argue, “has, in recent times, sense of ambiguity regarding the
become a much publicised and relationship between that which is
discussed issue. Despite this, most said and that which is done –
of our society’s practice regarding resulting in a discourse
single-use plastics, has continued in characterised by an abundance of
much the same manner, suggesting talk and an absence of real or
that the ‘talk’ about this issue is meaningful action. Heidegger
largely a matter of ‘knowing what to suggests that genuine
say’ instead of an authentic understanding, as opposed to the
response implying change. This ‘understanding’ inherent in
incongruity between what is said everyday discourse, can be sought
and what is done is examined by attempting to interact with the
through the lens of Heidegger’s world around us in a different
theories on the ‘everydayness of manner. A potential response to
discourse’ which, according to him, this could be found in Ranciere’s
is characterised by ‘idle talk,’ suggestion that an artwork
‘curiosity’ and ‘ambiguity’. Idle talk comprising an alternative and even
152
