Creativity of human and non-human matter interwoven: autonomous sensory meridian response videos in a posthuman perspective
Abstract
The problematization of the idea of creativity resulting in the revision of concepts about autonomous, creative, and human self has been a reality since the end of modernism, or maybe even longer. Postmodernism, as well as theories of posthumanism and new materialism, dealing with categories such as materiality, virtual reality, transgression, hybridization, etc., offer some reflections on the idea of non-human creativity, which is no longer an attribute immanently assigned to human, but a result of interaction between human and non-human elements, including the affective friction of bodies made of matter. Mostly inspired by the theories and methodologies of posthuman studies, studies in new materialism, and new media studies, the article aims to answer the question about the types of creativity appearing in a new YouTube phenomenon – autonomous sensory meridian response videos massively published in recent years. The article is an attempt to give a comprehensive account of the idea of posthuman creativity – with its sub-types like sensual creativity or techno-creativity – visible in extremely popular, however under-researched, autonomous sensory meridian response artworks. The paper puts forward the thesis about autonomous sensory meridian response being a model artistic phenomenon in which the entanglement of human and non-human matter results in a form of posthuman creativity. Numerous examples of autonomous sensory meridian response videos have been analysed, pointing to the specific modes of creative collaboration of human and non-human elements on the film set. In conclusion, it has been shown that autonomous sensory meridian response artworks become the product of posthuman creativity resulting from mutual, affective interaction of bodies.
Article in English.
Žmogiškos ir nežmogiškos materijos sampynos kūrybiškumas: autonominio jutimo meridiano atsakui skirti vaizdo įrašai posthumanizmo perspektyvoje
Santrauka
Kūrybiškumo idėjos problematizavimas lėmė tai, kad buvo iš naujo apsvarstytos koncepcijos, susijusios su savarankiška, kūrybiška ir žmogiška savastimi – tai tapo realybe baigiantis modernizmui ar net ir anksčiau. Postmodernizmas, kaip ir posthumanizmo bei naujojo materializmo teorijos, operuojančios tokiomis kategorijomis, kaip materialumas, virtualioji realybė, transgresija, hibridizacija ir kt., kelia tam tikrų apmąstymų dėl nežmogiško kūrybiškumo, kuris jau nebėra savybė, vidujai priskiriama žmogui, idėjos. Tai žmogiškų ir nežmogiškų elementų sąveikos rezultatas, apimantis emocinę materinių kūnų trintį. Straipsnyje, iš esmės paskatintame posthumanizmo, naujojo materializmo ir naujųjų medijų studijose plėtojamų teorijų ir metodologijų, siekiama atsakyti į klausimą, susijusį su kūrybiškumo rūšimis, kylančiomis naujojo YouTube reiškinio kontekste – su autonominio jutimo meridiano atsakui skirtais vaizdo įrašais, plačiai skelbiamais pastaraisiais metais. Šis straipsnis – tai pastangos išsamiai aprašyti posthumanistinio kūrybiškumo idėją, jam būdingus potipius, tokius kaip juslinis ar techninis kūrybiškumas, regimas ypač populiariuose, tačiau mažai tyrinėtuose autonominio jutimo meridiano atsakui skirtuose meno kūriniuose. Straipsnyje pateikiama tezė, esą autonominio jutimo meridiano atsakas – tai pavyzdinis meno reiškinys, kuriame žmogiškos ir nežmogiškos materijos sampyna sukuria posthumanistinio kūrybiškumo formą. Buvo išanalizuota daugybė autonominio jutimo meridiano atsakui skirtų vaizdo įrašų, kuriuose pabrėžiamas specifinis kūrybinės žmogiškų ir nežmogiškų elementų sąveikos pobūdis. Daromos išvados, kad su autonominio jutimo meridiano atsaku susiję meno kūriniai tapo posthumanistinio kūrybiškumo produktu, kurio pagrindas yra abipusė emocinė kūnų sąveika.
Reikšminiai žodžiai: autonominio jutimo meridiano atsakas, naujasis materializmas, naujųjų medijų studijos, posthumanistinis kūrybiškumas, posthumanizmas, techninis kūrybiškumas, YouTube.
Keyword : autonomous sensory meridian response, new materialism, new media studies, posthuman creativity, posthumanism, techno-creativity, YouTube
How to Cite
Łapińska, J. (2020). Creativity of human and non-human matter interwoven: autonomous sensory meridian response videos in a posthuman perspective. Creativity Studies, 13(2), 336-350. https://doi.org/10.3846/cs.2020.11703
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
References
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YouTube. (2019b). Fast tapping extravaganza. ASMR • Sensory Stimulation • No Talking. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqHglz3SfKM&feature=youtu.be
YouTube. (2019c). ASMR ear to ear whispering + Intense mouth sounds. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqBrIk32h7Y&feature=youtu.be
YouTube. (2019d). ASMR mic scratching with sharp objects (no talking). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7v-uvnO1zE&feature=youtu.be
Bennett, J. (2010). Vibrant matter: A political ecology of things. Duke University Press. https://doi.org/10.1215/9780822391623
Berlant, L., & Warner, M. (1998). Sex in public. Critical Inquiry, 24(2), 547–566. https://doi.org/10.1086/448884
Brett, J. Th. (2006). Minds and machines: Creativity, technology, and the posthuman in electronic musical idioms (PhD/Doctoral Thesis). ProQuest Dissertations Publishing.
Chappell, K. (2018). From wise humanising creativity to (posthumanising) creativity. In K. Snepvangers, P. Thomson, & A. Harris (Eds.), Creativity policy, partnerships and practice in education (pp. 279–306). Series: Creativity, education and the arts. A. Harris (Series Ed.). Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-96725-7_13
Gallagher, R. (2016). Eliciting euphoria online: The aesthetics of “ASMR” video culture. Film Criticism, 40(2). https://doi.org/10.3998/fc.13761232.0040.202
Garro, D. (2017 11–13 July). Autonomous meridian sensory response – From internet subculture to audiovisual therapy. In Proceedings of the Conference of Electronic Visualisation and the Arts (EVA 2017). Conference of Electronic Visualisation and the Arts (EVA 2017) (pp. 395–402). Paris, France. https://doi.org/10.14236/ewic/EVA2017.79
Hood, E. J., & Kraehe, A. M. (2017). Creative matter: New materialism in art education research, teaching, and learning. Art Education, 70(2), 32–38. https://doi.org/10.1080/00043125.2017.1274196
Iossifidis, M. J. M. (2017). ASMR and the “Reassuring Female Voice” in the sound art practice of Claire Tolan. Feminist Media Studies, 17(1), 112–115. https://doi.org/10.1080/14680777.2017.1261463
Kluszczyński, R. W. (2013). Towards posthuman creativity: From kinetic to bio-robotic art. In M. MrózGrygierowska & T. Ekstrand (Eds.), Art line: A Baltic collaboration (pp. 94–101). Blekinge Museum.
LeCain, T. J. (2017). The matter of history: How things create the past. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781316460252
Marks, L. U. (2000). The skin of the film: Intercultural cinema, embodiment, and the senses. Duke University Press. https://doi.org/10.1215/9780822381372
Mulvey, L. (1975). Visual pleasure and narrative cinema. Screen, 16(3), 6–18. https://doi.org/10.1093/screen/16.3.6
Pickering, A. (2008a). New ontologies. In A. Pickering & K. Guzik (Eds.), The mangle in practice: Science, society, and becoming (pp. 1–14). Duke University Press.
Pickering, A. (2008b). Preface. In A. Pickering & K. Guzik (Eds.), The mangle in practice: Science, society, and becoming (pp. vii–xiv). Duke University Press.
Poerio, G. L., Blakey, E., Hostler, Th. J., & Veltri, Th. (2018). More than a feeling: Autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) is characterized by reliable changes in affect and physiology. PLoS One, 13(6), e0196645. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0196645
Rice, Ph. (2016). “Oh Such a Good Sound”: Remaking the world, or a case for a macrocosmic aesthetic of grace in ASMR. Zenodo. https://zenodo.org/record/258582#.Xk_-kXduLaA
Roudavski, S., & McCormack, J. (2016). Post-anthropocentric creativity. Digital Creativity, 27(1), 3–6. https://doi.org/10.1080/14626268.2016.1151442
Sadowski, H. (2016). Digital intimacies: Doing digital media differently (PhD/Doctoral Thesis). Linköping Studies in Arts and Science No. 691. Linköping University. Linköping, Sweden. http://www.divaportal.org/smash/get/diva2:1047582/FULLTEXT01.pdf
Smith, N., & Snider, A.-M. (2019). ASMR, affect and digitally-mediated intimacy. Emotion, Space and Society, 30, 41–48. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.emospa.2018.11.002
Turing, A. M. (1950). I. – Computing machinery and intelligence. Mind: A Quartertly Review of Psychology and Philosophy, 59(236), 433–460. https://doi.org/10.1093/mind/LIX.236.433
Waldron, E. L. (2017). “This FEELS SO REAL!” Sense and sexuality in ASMR videos. First Monday, 22(1–2). https://doi.org/10.5210/fm.v22i1.7282
Young, J., & Blansert, I. (2015). ASMR: Idiot’s guides. As easy as it gets! Penguin Random House LLC.
YouTube. (2015). Coffee beans means ASMR. Relaxing wood, crinkles and tapping sounds. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zX-EBA6e388&feature=youtu.be
YouTube. (2017). Twin ear cleaning that will make you tingle 150% [22 mins] – ASMR. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKHpcXUAQlM&feature=youtu.be
YouTube. (2018a). ASMR 1 hour sound assortment to make you sleep (no talking). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8hniYMLKdM&feature=youtu.be
YouTube. (2018b). ASMR 10 scratching triggers to help you sleep and study. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlntNtfozpk&feature=youtu.be
YouTube. (2018c). Slime in your ears for 30 minutes / ASMR. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-coQzh8zO_c&feature=youtu.be
YouTube. (2018d). Women’s perfume emporium. ASMR • Soft Spoken • Liquids • Tapping • Clicky. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUOdiWO3qwI&feature=youtu.be
YouTube. (2019a). [ASMR] visual triggers for sleep (personal attention) face brushing, measuring and light tracing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_t_s6Lf8LZ0&feature=youtu.be
YouTube. (2019b). Fast tapping extravaganza. ASMR • Sensory Stimulation • No Talking. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqHglz3SfKM&feature=youtu.be
YouTube. (2019c). ASMR ear to ear whispering + Intense mouth sounds. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqBrIk32h7Y&feature=youtu.be
YouTube. (2019d). ASMR mic scratching with sharp objects (no talking). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7v-uvnO1zE&feature=youtu.be