Background
Historicity Kybernētēs was developed as part of Project Brand New—a three day programme that supports artists making work outside of traditional theatre models, in Dublin. It is hosted bi-annually by the Project Arts Centre. Néill was commissioned to create an art installation which generated fresh conversation in relation to the possible uses of digital media in the performing arts.
Concept
Using the C++ Library OpenFrameworks Néill—and digital media programmer Joe Lakes—designed custom motion-tracking software which tracked the performer's position on the stage and then visually interpreted that information.The artist's motives for mapping the performer’s movement in the space was to enhance the authenticity of the performance. "In Historicity Kybernētēs I was seeking to comment on our preoccupation with documentation, to investigate our narcissistic desire to validate our existence, our actions, our occupancy of space." The audience was invited to contemplate a cumulative series of visualisations, generated in response to the Project Brand New performers’ physical movement and gestures on stage.