Stretching Materialities : Negotiating Boundaries in Exhibition Research

Abstract

Stretching Materialities is an experimental approach to rethinking exhibitions in terms of »active matter:« not as a presentation of material knowledge and practices per se, but as an interactive and participatory research approach to new forms of activity emerging from the poiesis of the material. The interdisciplinary exhibition by the Cluster of Excellence »Matters of Activity« at Tieranatomisches Theater (TA T) Berlin experimented with curatorial processes, the existing environment and its material-energetic resources, sound performances, the interweaving of physical and virtual matter, and a constantly changing exhibit. With highlights such as a physical cloud in the middle of the exhibition space, virtual tours through six unique VR floors, experiencing decaying rocks, inhabitable woven fabrics, or haptically enhanced hanboks as a special wardrobe, visitors were entangled as active contributors and recipients in an ongoing process. This publication documents the exhibition’s theoretical foundations, the process itself, and valuable insights gained.