Co-chaired by Nina Czegledy and Gisèle Trudel

Location : http://laspiernastango.ca/pages/contact/
In French and in English

Until recently, the senses were considered entirely autonomous 'perceptual modules'. Now it is known that perceptual experiences are formed by complex interactions between sensory modalities. Humans perceive with all the senses; yet factual interpretations by cognitive scientists constitute only a partial explanation of human capacities as sensory beings. Until recently, the senses were considered entirely autonomous 'perceptual modules', each functioning independently. Now it is known, however, that perceptual experiences are formed by manifold, complex interactions between sensory modalities.

Barbara Clausen will speak about how representational politics of performance based practices within the museum have evolved over the last decade. She will identify how artists engage with experience and knowledge through live actions and gestures, and how the site and time specificity of the exhibition are also performed.
Jean Gagnon will articulate notions of body, intimacy and rhythm to describe his experience of tango.
David Howes asks : can the union of the senses bring about transcendence? Are there any intrinsic connections between the senses, or between sensations in different registers?
Armando Menicacci will discuss how his art proposes resistance to the power disciplined corporeality through enhancement and re-negociation of proprioception as inner touch.
The audience will be invited to engage in a series of cross-modal experiments and with an interactive artwork.

With Hexagram members
Barbara Clausen is an independent curator and professor for performance theory and history at the
Département d'histoire de l'art, UQAM.
Jean Gagnon, Ph.D., is Director of Preservation and Access to Collections of the Cinémathèque québécoise and an assiduous tango dancer.
David Howes is Professor of Anthropology, Director of the Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies in Society and Culture, and Co-Director of the Centre for Sensory Studies at Concordia University.
Armando Menicacci is a professor at the Département de danse, UQAM. After completing a Master's degree in musicology at Rome University, he obtained a Ph.D. from Université Paris 8 on the relation between dance and digital technologies.

Sponsored by Hexagram.

The mission of the LASERs is to provide the general public with a snapshot of the cultural environment of a region and to foster interdisciplinary networking. For details about other LASER events please visit us online or contact us.