Pod Bluman
The Gut
Summary
The Gut is an immersive and interactive piece of public art that explores pathways of connection between two human beings. It is practice lead research that is mainly based on my reflective practice. With this piece, I want to explore modes of human expression that bypass our tendency for self curation and censorship, and facilitate our ability to communicate authentically and from ‘the gut’.
The curated self is an important aspect of the way that we present ourselves online, and is the antithesis of the authenticity that speaking vulnerably requires.
With this piece, my desire is the participants to ‘feel seen’ and therefore to feel that they are worthy of connection.
My research is auto-ethnographic and my approaches are both reflective practice and speculative. My tools are using the developments in real-time interactive technology to develop an immersive environment to foster human connection and create behaviour change.
#VULNERABILITY
#AUTHENTICITY
#IMMERSION
#CONNECTION
#AWE
#INTERACTION
Additional info
The human gut is often referred to as our second brain. Our understanding of the gut-brain axis has revolutionised over the past decade, in particular regarding its role in immune control and psychological regulation (Xu, Yu, Chang 2020)
The above quote relates to the connection between our rational and conscious brain versus our intuitive and instinctive brain that exists in our gut. The aim of this research is to create an environment where people feel safe to express their emotions authentically from their primordial brain, ie their gut.
This is characterised by many phrases in the popular vernacular.
“ I am gutted”
“ gut instinct”
“ spill one’s guts”
“ gut response’
The motivation for my research has stemmed from my personal experience of integrative therapeutic practice which I have being engaging in as a client for the last 10 years. I felt that I had an important insight to the power of vulnerability as an agent for behaviour change in my own life.
This project is a manifestation of my desire to share and disseminate this vital knowledge. I see it as an act of service or self-actualisation.
Self-actualisation is intrinsic growth of what is already in the organism, or more accurately of what is the organism itself. Just as our tree needs food, sun, water from the environment, so does the person need safety, love, and respect from the social environment(Maslov, 1947)
‘The fear that we are not worthy of connection is the one thing that stops us being connected’ and so the design of this environment was orchestrated by the idea of enabling people to be seen. The relates to the design of the experience in the following way.(Brown 2012)
The two quotes are a central part of my auto-ethnographic research
