What is plastic?

We need to understand that there are two sides to plastic. Depending on the way that people treat it, plastic can transform into a monster or a helper.

What we need is to figure out how to use plastic in a better way.

Plastic pollution results in physical, chemical and biological harm of the whole ecosystem. We produce a lot of plastic and in some cases, it is not possible to replace it as a material. The separation of recyclable from non-recyclable plastic is difficult and requires time, effort and money. 

Governments, in some cases, are taking action. There are certain industries, recycling factories, which are sorting plastic waste in predefined categories, but the ratio of sorting this plastic waste in contrast with the speed in which people produce plastic trash, is too low.

Most people feel that the relationship between them and plastic objects stops immediately when the trash leaves from their hand. But is this the end? The ocean is full of plastic. Fish is living in the ocean with plastics. Fish is eating plastic. We are eating fish. So, what do we eat, exactly?

The change of the plastic management system is in our hands.

We take action as individuals or as a unified community instead of waiting for the “big companies” to manage the problem. 

We believe that through social awareness, and by promoting environmental empathetic actions, we can affect people’s subconsciousness on taking action and make a positive change, maximizing the environmental impact. 

FILM
A performer creates a dialogue with different plastic objects, using dancing and body expressions.
A symbolic performance that opens up discussion and guides us to rethink about plastic usage and its destination.
What is plastic?
How is our relationship with it?
Can we start over again?

Script: Dongmei Lu
Art Direction: Eleni Xynogala & Dongmei Lu
Filmmaker: Francesco Garbo
Choreography & Dance: Mimi Jeong
Sound Design: Myroslava Kuts
Costume Design: Audrey Jaillard
Light Design: Pascal Baltazar
Set up: Dian Song

INSTALLATION
An interactive installation -a creature, made of plastic waste, will positively or negatively correspond to how people recycle. 
A smart bin is integrated with the installation, therefore the creature has the ability to properly recognize trash and classify them into recycling categories. When people sort their trash correctly, the creature will be activated as an alive and joyful helper, moving and creating joyful sound. Otherwise, when we don’t recycle properly, the creature will be transformed into a monster, roaring and acting aggressively.
What is your choice?

This project was developed during a 6-month residency programme HIVE#03 at thecamp.
In collaboration with: Dian Song, Dongmei Lu and Myroslava Kuts.
Machine learning engineer: Israel Goytom.





PLASTICITY

SYMBIOSIS is a mutually beneficial relationship between different organisms.
What techniques can we use to create new forms of embodiment communication between organisms? Exploring the disparity of perception within the real and the virtual, this installation consists of three layers.
In the first layer, a body is trapped in a virtual world that the audience cannot perceive. The person disappears under the digital layer of the virtual self of this body, that is ultimately dependent, symbiotically, on the physical body. These bodies swing between oblivion and memory, experiencing an endless fusion between real and virtual. The audience is connected with this symbiotic organism through external tactile stimuli and is being questioned about what experience means to us.

This work explores the philosophical aspect of perception, the influence of digital technology in human experiences and the speculation for a future machine that can construct new experiences and reset human perception.

Concept, Design and Direction - Eleni Xynogala
Dance & Choreography - Zoi Mastrotheodorou
Sound Design - Myroslava Kuts

SYMBIOSIS

TIRESIAS is a non-anthropomorphic entity that moves naturally trying to develop an equal dynamic partnership with the human co-performer. The work is based on the blind prophet Tiresias, who creates his own identities, escaping the distinctions of man and woman.
Tiresias is a blind figure from the Greek mythology, who can ‘see’ into oneself and find self-knowledge. TIRESIAS explores the ways in which we can avoid dualities of human and non-human entities and find new interesting relationships between different actors.
Robots are designed to play a significant role in everyday life as technological cohabitants. 
People tend to attribute human characteristic to the robots and face them as living organisms. 
Based on the ideas of cyborg and animism, we don’t understand robots as mere tools, but as creative entities, capable of expanding the role they are given by their human creators. 
As designers that consider post-modern concepts which neglected the existence of universal truths and realities, we need to be critical about technologies in general - even though our attitude is underpinned by positive conceptions. Technologies, in its many forms; but especially robots - are an integral part of our lives. In the transitional period of today, where we cohabitate with robots, it is a necessity that we understand them better. Even though we believe in the positive nature of technology, it is important to acknowledge that all technologies are biased and a result of human creation.
The design strategy of “animistic design” tries to emphasise the inherent liveliness within objects. By implication, technologies elicit impressions of emergent qualities like intelligence, awareness and even consciousness. We believe, that this proclivity, driven by anthropomorphic biases, is a suitable point of reference to engage the dialogue about the positive implications of technologies.

The robot was designed and developed in collaboration with Vinzenz Reinhardt.
Choreographer: Andre Kamienski - KAMIENSKI. / Performer: Abigail Attard Montalto
Cinematographer: Carmen Pellon

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Eleni Xynogala