Thesis
Constructive Alienation – An Epistemological Revolution
MA CCC, HEAD-genève
2018
Solo Exhibition
Violence
Up State, Zürich, Schweiz
2013
Still from 'Violence - Blue', Video Performance
Connect all the dots by drawing 4 continous straight lines
Behind the subject of Constructive Alienation lies for me the conviction that certain given structures such as social norms, sexuality or health are not to be understood as a rigid construct and that they can be changed and shaped through alienation (a method of changing perspectives). The freedom to acquire new knowledge and experiences lies in the possibility of a changed and not normed perception and brings about an epistemological revolution. In that sense Constructive Alienation is inherently an emancipatory methodology.
The research into the methodology of Constructive Alienation is inspired by thoughts and works of a.o. the contemporary thinkers Patricia Reed and Reza Negarestani, that both deal with questions of philosophy and system theory, analysed throughout history.
My entry point into the research was my BPD illness and therefor my fear of emotions, that felt like a form of Constructive Alienation from my Self. Which brought about a new and more profound understanding of who I am and who I'm not, about how the fabric of Self is everchanging and the importance of understanding and dealing with the unknown (the epistemological revolution). Over time my research into the possibilities of Constructive Alienation moved from the local (the BPD and my Self) towards a more global approach, as the question arises how I can translate this research for other, more global systems.