In this article, I examine how the concept of diffraction can be corporeally communicated within art workshops. Through my perception as an artist and workshop facilitator, I narrate the case study of the "metagrid", which was part of "#metttafestival – Who are we on social media?" held at BUoY in Tokyo in October 2022. I created this installation conceptually fueled by diffractive understandings of networks, systems, and the production of knowledge and I technically realised it by hand-recycling paper at home. During the “metagrid” activation workshop, I invited the participants to answer with their bodies what is their perception of knowledge, how they learn, and how they make. The article is structured in four nodules: “Speculating,” “Making,” “Situating,” “Workshopping” and “Releasing.” In the parts “Speculating” and “Making”, I describe the conceptual and technical processes and troubles of the “metagrid”. In “Situating” and “Workshopping” I observe the verbal and tactile intra-actions of humans and matters. In the concluding section, “Releasing,” I reflect on the matter’s own agency and the potential of art workshops. This article provides field insights into the importance of art workshops in exploring complex themes and emphasizes the transformative power of embodied experiences.

Authors:
Chloe Pare-Anastasiadou, Tokyo University of the Arts, Japan

About the Presenter(s)
Chloe Paré-Anastasiadou (b. 1996, Athens) is an artist and researcher currently based in Tokyo, who explores the materialities and interactivities of visual arts through workshops, installations, and art books.

Additional website of interest
https://www.chloepare.com

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