MATTER ERA
The speculative evolution of post-human life in a radical ode to the physical
An installation performance taking place over six hours, this work of experimental puppetry leverages the ability of the artform to create a world that is alive but without people in it.
An international collaboration between Terrapin (Tasmania) and Tim Spooner (UK), working with Artsadmin as the producer for the UK and Europe, Matter Era is to be performed for intergenerational audiences at festivals in galleries, indoor open spaces and on theatre stages.
During the performance, material lifeforms evolve and interact, perpetually combining and separating to form new beings. As audiences move around to view the work from all sides, these lifeforms combine into one alien mass that fills the 5m x 5m space. This creation can then remain in place as an installation subsequent to the performance. Audiences can come and go as they wish, staying to watch minutes or hours of the performance. Three unseen performers will animate the work continuously over the six-hour span.
The work is being developed through an Australian Cultural Diplomacy Grant which funds a two-stage creative development. A stage one development at Artsadmin Toynbee Studios in London was undertaken in August 2022, with a subsequent development undertaken in Hobart, Tasmania in January 2023. We are seeking commissioning and presentation partners for seasons from 2024 onwards.
Credits
Created by Sam Routledge and Tim Spooner