Thesis/Dissertation Sheet Surname/Family Name : Smith Given Name/s : Brenton Alexander Abbreviation for degree as give in the University : MFA (Research) calendar Faculty : School of Art School : UNSW Art & Design Thesis Title : The Soft Crash: bodies in-between Abstract 350 words maximum: (PLEASE TYPE) This practice-based research project considers notions of perception and agency around machinic forms - specifically cars. Using car accidents as a central theme, this research aims to draw out a sense of vulnerability from the machine, yet, rather than evoking a sense of horror, it aims to elicit an oddly sentimental reaction from viewers. This project is driven by techniques I have developed for using BeamNG.drive, a car-driving simulation game, as a tool for creating time-based artworks within whereby the car - its purpose and its movements - becomes something other. It is in this other space that something more-than-car emerges: entities I refer to as crashforms. This project asks how something so ubiquitously familiar as cars can become collapsed or changed in a way that challenges how we think about them. Central to this research is how these crashforms move. Rather than conforming to the physics of an actual or virtual car crash, my crashforms struggle, twitch and writhe in such a manner as to be imbued with a sense of liveliness, vulnerability, and a peculiar technical anthropomorphism; the crashforms are perceived as vulnerable because their behaviour can be considered as human-like: quivering and twitching might suggest nervousness, laboured movements appear as struggling, sudden lurches feel aggressive. These associations are felt despite their appearance, and are not easily rationalised: the forms in my work do not deliberately embody any reference to specific human or animal morphologies. Movement, above form, is what brings out these reactions in viewers; the crashform refuses to remain in a form that is expected of it, producing strange movements that create a sense of agency and liveliness. Declaration relating to disposition of project thesis/dissertation I hereby grant to the University of New South Wales or its agents a non-exclusive licence to archive and to make available (including to members of the public) my thesis or dissertation in whole or in part in the University libraries in all forms of media, now or here after known. I acknowledge that I retain all intellectual property rights which subsist in my thesis or dissertation, such as copyright and patent rights, subject to applicable law. I also retain the right to use all or part of my thesis or dissertation in future works (such as articles or books). 12/03/20 ……………………………………………………… ……….……………………...…….… …… Date Signature The University recognises that there may be exceptional circumstances requiring restrictions on copying or conditions on use. Requests for restriction for a period of up to 2 years can be made when submitting the final copies of your thesis to the UNSW Library. Requests for a longer period of restriction may be considered in exceptional circumstances and require the approval of the Dean of Graduate Research. The Soft Crash: bodies in-between Brenton Alexander Smith Brenton Alexander Smith. Stop For a Moment, 2019. Video (still), 4:42. UNSW Art and Design School of Arts March 2020 A thesis in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Fine Arts (Research) COPYRIGHT STATEMENT ‘I hereby grant the University of New South Wales or its agents a non-exclusive licence to archive and to make available (including to members of the public) my thesis or dissertation in whole or part in the University libraries in all forms of media, now or here after known. I acknowledge that I retain all intellectual property rights which subsist in my thesis or dissertation, such as copyright and patent rights, subject to applicable law. I also retain the right to use all or part of my thesis or dissertation in future works (such as articles or books).’ ‘For any substantial portions of copyright material used in this thesis, written permission for use has been obtained, or the copyright material is removed from the final public version of the thesis.’ Signed ……………………………………………........................... 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I also declare that the intellectual content of this thesis is the product of my own work, except to the extent that assistance from others in the project's design and conception or in style, presentation and linguistic expression is acknowledged.’ Signed …………………………………………….............. 12/03/20 Date …………………………………………….............. INCLUSION OF PUBLICATIONS STATEMENT UNSW is supportive of candidates publishing their research results during their candidature as detailed in the UNSW Thesis Examination Procedure. Publications can be used in their thesis in lieu of a Chapter if: • The candidate contributed greater than 50% of the content in the publication and is the “primary author”, ie. the candidate was responsible primarily for the planning, execution and preparation of the work for publication • The candidate has approval to include the publication in their thesis in lieu of a Chapter from their supervisor and Postgraduate Coordinator. • The publication is not subject to any obligations or contractual agreements with a third party that would constrain its inclusion in the thesis Please indicate whether this thesis contains published material or not: This thesis contains no publications, either published or submitted for ☐X publication (if this box is checked, you may delete all the material on page 2) Some of the work described in this thesis has been published and it has been ☐ documented in the relevant Chapters with acknowledgement (if this box is checked, you may delete all the material on page 2) This thesis has publications (either published or submitted for publication) ☐ incorporated into it in lieu of a chapter and the details are presented below CANDIDATE’S DECLARATION I declare that: • I have complied with the UNSW Thesis Examination Procedure • where I have used a publication in lieu of a Chapter, the listed publication(s) below meet(s) the requirements to be included in the thesis. Candidate’s Name Signature Date (dd/mm/yy) Brenton Alexander Smith 12/03/20 Abstract This practice-based research project considers notions of perception and agency around machinic forms - specifically cars. Using car accidents as a central theme, this research aims to draw out a sense of vulnerability from the machine, yet, rather than evoking a sense of horror, it aims to elicit an oddly sentimental reaction from viewers. This project is driven by techniques I have developed for using BeamNG.drive, a car-driving simulation game, as a tool for creating time-based artworks within whereby the car - its purpose and its movements - becomes something other. It is in this other space that something more-than-car emerges: entities I refer to as crashforms. This project asks how something so ubiquitously familiar as cars can become collapsed or changed in a way that challenges how we think about them. Central to this research is how these crashforms move. Rather than conforming to the physics of an actual or virtual car crash, my crashforms struggle, twitch and writhe in such a manner as to be imbued with a sense of liveliness, vulnerability, and a peculiar technical anthropomorphism; the crashforms are perceived as vulnerable because their behaviour can be considered as human-like: quivering and twitching might suggest nervousness, laboured movements appear as struggling, sudden lurches feel aggressive. These associations are felt despite their appearance, and are not easily rationalised: the forms in my work do not deliberately embody any reference to specific human or animal morphologies. Movement, above form, is what brings out these reactions in viewers; the crashform refuses to remain in a form that is expected of it, producing strange movements that create a sense of agency and liveliness. 2 Acknowledgements I would like to express my gratitude to my supervisors Michele Barker and Anna Munster, who have provided constant invaluable support throughout the duration of this project. I would also like to thank my friends, colleagues and staff at UNSW Art and Design who supported me throughout the development of this body of work. Great thanks to Jenny Alaca for inspiring the title of this thesis, and for always having my back. Special thanks to my dad, Greg Smith, for his ongoing support throughout all my endeavors. 3 Table of Contents Introduction 5 Chapter 1. Deleuze and Atari: using videogames to make art 8 Chapter 2. Bodies that aren’t bodies 36 Conclusion 48 Image List 50 References 52 4 Introduction Can a car wreck exhibit human qualities? Is it possible that a broken machine can appear in such a way that it elicits nuanced responses from humans, perhaps even feelings of sympathy? This research has developed as an investigation of these peculiar questions. It began as an extension of ideas I had begun to explore in my solo exhibition Technological Disasters Now Outweigh Natural Disasters (2017). This exhibition featured a series of sculptural works made from parts of car wrecks, as well as a series of video works I had created using the videogame BeamNG.drive as an animation tool.