Miss Clare Brennan

Interests

In my capacity as Curator at Abertay I work with contemporary and interdisciplinary cultural producers, artists and researchers from the UK and abroad to generate new knowledge and to inspire new collaborations.

I am particularly interested in the dynamic field of Digital Performance. As our knowledge and familiarity of digital tools expand we see that the use of technology within performance has become increasingly imbedded in the creative process, moving beyond the ostentatious and evolving to enrich and enhance performativity in more subtle and meaningful ways. How do we ensure that the technology serves to enrich the experience of the performer and the audience?  How can we use technology within real environments to connect; bridging the gap between the mental and the social, between philosophy and reality? And what can we learn from best practice in this area to inspire new and valuable collaborations?

My curatorial research explores this through interdisciplinary projects with artists, performers and technologists undertaking ground-breaking, experimental and playful projects; from pervasive gaming, augmented reality, narrative and abstract animation, ubiquitous computing and computer human interaction. 

As Curator I develop activities that engage researchers, academics, students and creatives in knowledge exchange and creative activity, delivering a cultural outreach programme, and supporting innovative projects which disseminate key University research. Driving the core programme is digital culture, enriched by Abertay’s world-leading success in the areas of computer games, digital media and computer arts. Our programme aims to explore the processes of creative production through technology and how the space can facilitate new work and contextualise it within a wider cultural arena. 

I also continue to develop my own art practice; figurative painting. My personal practice explores human psychological states; inspired by the sociological theory of Dramaturgy- where human actions are said to be completely dependent upon time, place, and audience; manipulating the ‘audience’ into believing and accepting the character they present. In other words; Life as a series of little performances, short stories, dramatic plays.

Within my large scale oil paintings and small scale drawings I seek to create performance within portraiture, using realism to portray the unreal. Inspired by artists such as Richards Phillips and duo Asgar and Gabriel, I find the notion of creating fantastical narratives and portraying unattainable beauty within a single image an exhilarating challenge. The process begins with a conversation between the artist and subject; a collaboration. Scenarios are discussed, their character(s) developed, environments built (physical or imaginary). The performance begins. It’s about story telling, holding the viewers attention, compelling them to unravel the tale.

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