ENCOUNTERS is a transdisciplinary dialogue between robotics and audiovisual & performing arts. The conversation follows a non-linear narrative: a scripted (structured, non-improvised) real-time dance experience unfolding in a dynamically evolving and moving interaction that brings the public to reflect on their own ENCOUNTERS and how they embrace “otherness”. "We are they," says Donna Haraway – a prominent American professor in science & technology studies –, who questions our responsibility, relationship, and desired connection to machines. This is the ENCOUNTER: Them = the machines, the public, times (historical, spatial, etc), the “others” (cultures, forms of beings, robots, etc).
Using live motion-tracking, the dancer's movements are recorded, translated, and fed live to the robot, which moves on a circular track with a projector at its arm’s end. It projects video material onto the dancer (moving) and the floor (steady). Surround sound fills the dedicated space, guiding visitors through the story.
The performative installation creates a space where humans and technology inform each other through movement, the essence of life, the dancer’s language. ENCOUNTERS embarks the visitors on a live technopoetic performance about memory, imagination, and our bodies’ virtual possibilities. The dancer tracked by technology is not in control nor controlled by, but in dialogue with it, thereby seeking freedom and equality for each part (human or not), and real-life connections over virtual ones. ENCOUNTERS also builds on a personal tale: the choreographer’s Swiss parents who met in Osaka, fell in love, had a child. Now a woman, she brings the past, present, and future together by engaging with images and technology, and by questioning what makes an ENCOUNTERS real.
Besides the interdisciplinary performing and production team, the innovation is supported by AATB, an award-winning and internationally renown creative robotics studio and Superposition, which provides cutting-edge motion control services aimed at the film industry (featured during Cannes Festival / Swiss Innovation Day) and offers strong technical expertise in customizing robotics and automation platforms for creative applications.
AATB and Superposition will develop a custom system to enable ENCOUNTERS between the robot and the dancer. They will build a tracking system to control a robot and project bespoke videos created by Kollektiv Beton. These movements, originating from the storytelling video images, the dancer’s body, and the robot create the interaction: ENCOUNTERS. We may even involve the audience, broadening the ENCOUNTERing experience.
AATB crystallizes ongoing research around human/machine interactions and investigates the potential of robotics and industrial automation to exist outside the realm of factory floors. Kollektiv Beton focuses on phenomena that tend to elude everyday perception and explore the possibilities of taking a second look at things to see them in a different light. Antipode explores the relationship between bodies and their environment by deconstructing and reconstructing gestures, movements, and spaces, to inspire unexpected ways of being in relation to another. Virtual Switzerland facilitates stories and projects, and has been a key actor in R&D and innovation, primarily promoting and fostering Swiss immersive technologies.
Celebrating their different forms of expression, their shared interests made their encounter inevitable. Together, they join expertise for a unique performative installation designed for the Swiss Pavilion at Osaka 2025.
AATB is the collaborative practise of Andrea Anner and Thibault Brevet, both graduates from ECAL. Having previously worked on interactive objects and installations, they encountered an industrial robotic arm five years ago. This crystallised an ongoing research around human/machine interactions and led them to investigate the potential of robotics and industrial automation to exist outside the realm of factory floors.
Their practise involves a tight connection and understanding of manufacturing processes, ranging from software programming, electronics to mechanical engineering and precision machining. Reflecting on the dissemination and assimilation of robotics into mundane activities, their work critically explores novel situations arising from these shifts. Since 2020, the studio operates a Motion Control service for the film industry: Superposition. The studio is based between Zurich and Marseille.
Their work has been exhibited in institutions such as ZKM (Karlsruhe), V&A (Dundee), Ars Electronica (Linz), Chengdu Biennale (Chengdu), New Museum (New York), Venice Biennale of Architecture, Zollverein (Essen), Unfold X (Seoul), APS Museum (Shanghai), HEK (Basel), Istanbul Design Biennial, Milan Design Week, Museum für Gestaltung (Zürich). They have been awarded the Swiss Design Award.
aatb.ch
ANTIPODE explores the relationship between bodies and their environment through transdisciplinary dialogues. It deconstructs and reconstructs gestures, movements, and spaces, to inspire unexpected ways of being in relation to another. Despite tackling contemporary burning issues, humor and poetry are integral to the work which delves into how we perceive space, whether natural, architectural, social, intimate, imaginary, or contextual. Antipode has created several pieces for theater stages, outside, clubs and museum spaces. They have reached all regions of Switzerland as well as international stages in Germany, Czech Republic, Australia, Brazil and Colombia.
Nicole Morel is Antipode's choreographer and artistic director. She is equally at home on the independent, institutional, national and international scenes. Her technical approach is based on her experience as a classical and contemporary dancer. She focuses on how the body functions, the origin of dance movement and the emotion transmitted. She is driven by the desire to constantly de-/re-/(-)construct gestures, movements and spaces for all bodies. Architecture is a central source of inspiration in her work.
The company is a resident and co-managing member of Studio Danse+ at Coopérative la Maison des Artistes in Fribourg, Switzerland. Antipode is supported by Pro Helvetia, Swiss arts council, Corodis, commission romande de diffusion des spectacles, État de Fribourg.
antipodedansetanz.ch
KOLLEKTIV BETON consists of the artists Nathalie Kamber and Rebekka Friedli, who have been working as a creative duo since 2016. In their immersive, installative and audiovisual works, they focus on phenomena that tend to elude everyday perception. They explore the possibilities of taking a second look at things and seeing them in a different light. In doing so, they adopt new methods, adopt unusual perspectives, emphasise details, use materials detached from their purpose, break rules and conventions. The joy of experimentation and curiosity about new formats drive the development of their projects. The changed perspectives open up new spaces of perception that they want to share with other people.
In 2019, they won the Zurich Film Foundation's "Fast Track" for the production of the walk-through video installation SKIES, which premiered at the BaseCamp by Locarno Film Festival in 2022. Their works have been shown at the Solothurn Film Festival, the Olten Art Museum and the InShadow Festival in Lisbon, among others.
kollektivbeton.com
SUPERPOSITION provides cutting-edge motion control services for the Swiss and European film industry. It is an offshoot of award-winning creative robotics studio AATB, founded in 2018 by Andrea Anner and Thibault Brevet.
With extensive knowledge and expertise in motion control systems, software programming, electronics and mechanical engineering, Superposition is able to provide highly specialized solutions to unique Motion Control and Visual Engineering problems. They have gained international recognition through our robotic artworks, and built up a strong technical expertise in customizing robotics and automation platforms for creative applications.
superposition.ch
Virtual Switzerland, initially supported by Innosuisse (2017-2020), promotes and encourages the adoption and development of Swiss immersive technologies, meaning augmented, mixed, and virtual realities (collectively referred to as XR for eXtended Realities). It has since developed many initiatives and projects, fostered interest, and created synergies in Switzerland and abroad. The association is also a founding member of XR4Europe, as well as a board member of the Foundation for Digital Creation.
virtualswitzerland.org