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Submission information
Submission Number: 147
Submission ID: 197
Submission UUID: 0f80f8c5-0040-4b5b-b961-07c3ad9415fa
Submission URI: /ga/form/submit-contribution
Cruthaithe: Tue, 24 Feb 2026 - 01:45
Déanta: Tue, 24 Feb 2026 - 17:05
Changed: Wed, 13 May 2026 - 08:52
Remote IP address: 176.113.74.87
Submitted by: ehill
Teanga: English
Is draft: Níl
Current page: webform_confirmation
Flagged: Tá
| Given name | Erin |
|---|---|
| Surname | Hill |
| erin.lamontagne@pm.me | |
| I understand that by submitting this form, I consent to the use of my data for the purposes of the 2026 Forum on Artistic Research'. | Tá |
| I agree to the terms of service. | Tá |
| Title | Deep Gazing |
| Format | Performance |
| Main language | English |
| Abstract | The Sisters of the Celestial Order of Nephology is an interdisciplinary performance project by Horizon Factory (Erin Hill and Nina Vroemen). Formed in 2019 during a dance residency at Studio 303 (Montreal), the project takes the shape of a fictive religious order: two blue-cloaked atmospheric nuns devoted to the study of clouds and the ephemeral narratives they generate. Through this speculative framework, the Sisters engage with uncertainty, attunement, and ecological interdependence. Central to the project are the practices of Deep Gazing and Scrying. Deep Gazing, a term coined by the Sisters and inspired by Pauline Oliveros’ Deep Listening, invites participants to attune to their environments through attention to the sky, bridging cloud identification and forecasting with embodied, sensorial, and intuitive modes of knowing. Complementing this, the Sisters practice Scrying—the art of prophesying through gazing—with the sky, identifying messages and meanings in the clouds beyond the art of forecasting. A storm does not end, but continues to move, to shift, and influence other systems. Together, these practices treat weather as a relational network, offering tools for cultivating intimate, personal connections to climate, community, and place. Working across performance, installation, workshops, and writing, Deep Gazing and Scrying are both artistic and pedagogical tools for thinking through life within complex, interconnected systems. The 45 minute performance takes place outdoors beneath the celestial sphere. The Sisters will have scouted a path with specific viewpoints, and will guide audience members between the chosen landmarks. The performance is accompanied by an audio piece (English, French) and the audience listen through headphones, allowing audience to move or lay down, stay close or stray far from the performers. The experience ends with a collective Scrying practice and participants are invited to share what they've gleaned from the clouds. |
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| Previous presentations or iterations of the research | Deep Gazing has been presented in Canada (Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick), France and Australia in both its performance and exhibition formats. We have also published a book and been published in Bodies of Sound: Becoming a Feminist Ear (Silver Press 2024). We will present the performance as usual, responding to the specific landscape. We see this as an opportunity to present within an artistic research context, receive feedback and create links with people sharing similar research interests. |
| Additional information | In 2024, we published Deep Gazing, a book of embodied scores and meteorological texts. We will bring a couple copies for people to look at after the performance and during the forum. |
| Spatial and technical requirements | We require an outdoor space with a view of the sky. We will take a moment ourselves to do location scouting upon arrival. In the past, parks or beaches have been good locations for the performance. Participants are requested to bring headphones and to download or stream the audio track from a device such as a smartphone. |
| Potential risks or ethical concerns | One risk might be accessibility: people need headphones and a listening device. However, these days, most people have these things on hand. It is possible to have a couple people listen together on a bluetooth speaker or use the speaker on their phone. However, this is not ideal for the experience or fellow participants because of the sound leakage. This IS a good option for young children, if parents do not want them to listen through headphones. |
| Create a user account for SAR 2026 | Tá |
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