Burnish
Created by Erika Batdorf and Mark-David Hosale
Electronics, Sound Design and Art Objects: Mark-David Hosale (Associate Professor, Computational Arts)
Structure Design and Lighting: Ian Garrett (Assistant Professor, Theatre)
Burnish is an interactive performance installation that premiered at the 56th Venice Biennale 2015 with 9dragonheads in the official collatoral event Jump Into the Unknown; and at Toronto’s Theatre Center in May 2015. It was remounted for SummerWorks 2016 at Toronto’s Theatre Centre with a new concept for the tent, technology and audience participation.
Burnish is a stand alone art object and interactive performance piece. Inspired by elements of fire, flooding, and the desire to cleanse the heart, Burnish invites individual audience members to experience an intimate performance contained in a mini-pavillion, while others can observe through eye pieces in the walls of the pavillion. Integrating music, digital technology, poetic text, art objects, and singing the artist attempts to maintain a deeply authentic process that is altered by every interaction while she is attached to physiological and emotive sensors that affect the sound and lighting. Each audience member receives a small gift during the performance.
