There is a growing need to tell stories using a variety of disciplines, media and platforms. Arts that are performative in nature, such as theatre, music and performance, have great expertise in precisely this area. The research of the Performative Processes professorship responds to the current situation, where former performative practices are being replaced by new forms, in which the borders between disciplines, media and platforms are no longer a defining factor.

New performative practices and processes

The professorship aims to contribute to the development of new performative practices and processes that are suited to hybrid and multivocal artists. The goal of the research is to generate acceleration, liberalisation and innovation in creative processes within the arts and outside them, through conducting research into performative processes.

Performativity is regarded as action; as something that is done rather than something that is seen. This means that the research places greater emphasis on creative and design processes than on artistic products and reception. We view performativity as a dynamic dialogic process, in which spectator, context and technology are regarded as co-creators. In an endless movement, meanings and identities appear and disappear.

In HKU’s vision, the focus on creative processes means a reinforcement of technological innovation, interdisciplinarity and entrepreneurship.