Paper short abstract:

This presentation will show how an experimental combination of multisensory, embodied and participatory media might create vivid records of the field, facilitate the collaborative creation and analysis of research materials and challenge traditional models of disseminating ethnographic knowledge.

Paper long abstract:

Through the practices of creating vivid, multisensory and embodied media during research encounters in the field, and the distribution of that media through online collaborative platforms, the traditional paradigms for the production of ethnographic knowledge might be significantly altered. When experiences of the field of study can be accessed, analysed and contributed to from anywhere in the world, the authorial control of the ethnographer is reduced and the collaborative construction, interpretation and contestation of narratives, memories and potential futures must be embraced.

The efficacy of these practices will be illustrated by the demonstration of sensory research materials created during an ongoing study of Temple Works in South Leeds. Initially constructed as a textile mill in 1840 and once featuring the largest single room in the world, the building is now home to a cultural project that supports local artists, makers and performers. A multisensory, spatial and participatory virtual archive of the building is being developed with the intention of exploring the relationships between the vivid sensory experience of the building and the creative and cultural practices that take place within it.

This project could be accommodated on a single screen by a presentation, demonstration and discussion of the work, by allowing attendees to interact with the project directly, or by creating a video demonstration of the key features.

Author: Tom Jackson

Year of Production: 2014 - present day

Language: English

Platform: Interactive web application (or pre-recorded video demonstration, if preferred)