December 2023

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On the occasion of Michael O'Connor successful PhD defence, we share with you the thesis and research outcome of his trajectory, which proposes lines as a way to think of and create situated moments that bring awareness to withness knowledge, a term proposed by John Shotter.

Three major components of our experience are our mind, our body, and our environment. This practice­-based research investigates a new way of looking at these three categories through dance and movement practices in order to find a common language between them. The study of lines offers that link. 

Our body creates lines. It creates lines when moving by leaving temporary traces, as when we dance or swing our limbs. Our mind creates lines when we imagine events along a timeline or when delineating conceptual borders, like between nature and nurture. Our body also visually and sensually perceives lines in our environment, organising the world around us in straight and organic lines. Through our body, lines become a fundamental part of our experience. In this research, lines are the topic, the research method, and the data. This in itself is a complex and hypnotising land­ scape to ponder. 

Besides contributing to the new field of Linealogy, this research is carving out its own territory by defining the term Embodied Lines as a specific way to approach the topic of lines. Each chapter presents theoretical insights combined with artistic artefacts of embodied knowledge.

Main theories approached around the topic of lines include: Conceptual Metaphor Theory (Lakoff & Johnson), Affordance Theory (Gibson), Asymmetry Principle (Leyton), Material Engagement Theory (Malafouris), Linear Design and Linear Pattern (SheetsJohnstone), and Vitality Affects (Stern).