Video performance: a plugged body into an artivist digital media-art artifact

Abstract

This paper focuses on a digital media-art artifact titled "Dão água aos mortos que já não têm sede", which combines video performance with a multisensory installation to reflect on the current climate crisis. The creation process of the artifact followed the a/r/cographic methodology (Veiga, 2021), accompanied by a Digital Logbook where all stages of the creative process were recorded. In this study, the scope of the artifact expands to encompass the multiple realities of the body, as described by Santaella (2003), envisioning the performer’s body in this video performance framed within the installation as a plugged body integrated into a visual and sound narrative. The installation is highlighted by the transition from natural landscapes to environmental desolation across seven screens, intensifying the emotional impact of the work. The physical component of the artifact, which contains materials such as plastic and straw, engages viewers in a visual, tactile, and olfactory experience, reinforcing the connection between humans and technology in addressing environmental themes. This artistic project functions as a form of artivism, challenging public perceptions about the relationship between humans and the environment, while underscoring the urgency of sustainable actions.