Thinking through / practicing materiality – a dialogue on practice
Presented at ‘Weaving, language, writing: thinking and practicing research-creation’ conference, University of Angers, France (11th-13th June 2025)
ABSTRACT:
Using Heidegger’s A dialogue on language – between a Japanese and an inquirer (1982) essay as a starting point, Connelly and Hällsten performative essay conducts a dialogue that moves across and between languages, materials and practices – exploring the verbal, visual, sensual aspects of their artistic research. Taking the Swedish word nysta as a starting point, they will work reflexively, unpicking, unravelling and translating their praxis through words and materials (thread, cloth and sound) in an attempt to understand and translate that which is difficult to translate, and how language and materials play a particular role (sensations and affects) in attempting to give form to something that is ‘undefinable’ (Heidegger 1982:13), or alludes definition.
Both artists draw on listening practices, such as Jean-Luc Nancy’s seminal text Listening (2007), where he states: “to listen is to be straining towards a possible meaning, and consequently one that is not immediately accessible” (2007). It is through the embodied work with textiles, weaving and sound (oral and material) that we explore this possibility of meaning making. Importantly using rhythm of the utterance and weave moving across, and creating, a score or surface, unearthing that recurring return of the unfamiliar in our multilingual practices.
Connelly and Hällsten have worked with translation over the past few decades – working closely together as supervisee and supervisor and coming together to collaborate on multilingual performances and installations. Connelly is British with English as her first language and Hällsten is Swedish with Swedish as her first language, this has created many opportunities over the years to question and address aspects of how languages enable different views, comprehensions of theory, practice and each other, and ultimately Others. Language is here fluid and challenged, what does it mean to be in translation, how do we move between languages (text, oral, material etc.), how do these interactions inevitably shape our dialogue?
Both artists have been using language and translation as the material and methodology for their practices to come to grips with how we engage and understand others (human, nature, animal). Language becomes material, and it is through the intersection of language qua language, translation and material that our practices take shape.
The 20 minute performative essay consisted of a multi media powerpoint and script using video and sound, delivered in person and online – Heather and Johanna performed as they researched together yet apart.
The work and their collaboration continues as they develop an exposition for the Research Catalogue and other iterations of this ‘woven dialogue’.
