Frankenstein’s Ghosts

Frankenstein’s Ghosts is a SSHRC funded research creation project (2007-2010) deconstruction, analysis and exploration of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein to explore substantive themes emerging from the novel such as: what are the boundaries of the human? To what extent do we create ourselves? What is our responsibility towards what we create? What is our responsibility towards the “Other”? What ethical challenges do our present technological advances present ? What is monstrous? And what does it mean to be human? The project amalgamated the eminent Blue Riders Canadian chamber music ensemble, director / choreographer Michael Montanaro, media researcher and artists from Dr. Sha Xin Wei’s Topological Media Lab, dancers, and scholars from religious studies and literary studies into a new sort of ensemble that experimented with new modes of performance practice. Over four years, the media artists and the musicians and dancers developed fresh modes of movement and performance that fused what before were largely independent practice.

We are using 19th century lighting techniques and tricks to create shadow images. Real-time video and sound portray shifting realities, memory and other possible truths. Musically, structured improvisation gives shape to concepts. Movement expresses the need for relationship. Words draw us back and forth from conscious to subconscious.

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COLLABORATORS

Michael Montanaro, choreographer/director
Sha Xin Wei, topological media
Ann Sowcroft, writer
Jerome DelaPierre, real-time video
Navid Navab, Timothy Sutton, real-time sound
the Blue Rider Music Ensemble
Leal Stellick & Milan Gervais, Emmanuele Calve, Ashley, dancers

REFERENCES

http://www.frankensteinsghosts.com/