User:Kiara/Research/draft project proposal

Research Contents
General page
— Notes ——— Prototypes
— Project Proposal ——— Drafts
— Thesis Outline ——— Drafts
— (more or less) Rapid Prototypes ——— WebSpell Prototypes ——— Workshops

drafts

third draft [upper to date]

1_ What do you want to make?

25AV launched an open call for residency aimed at "collaboration projects and collectives from across Europe [...] in the fields of media art, sound, performance, and audiovisual experimentation." Together with my friend Queenie, we decided to apply to this open call with a browser-based performance project. The project itself will question the defining of AI tools as "magical" and replace the human at the centre of the conversation, to emphasise the fact that AI is just another smokescreen, illusion and to bring back the poetry and sensibility into web crafting. We seek to create a website during a live performance, observing and using CSS for its poetry and declarativeness. The performance itself connects two keyboards and computer mice to one same computer, enabling the performers to write code simultaneously. The presence of the body being important here, we also wish to give a privileged space to voice: one performer is talking, the other one writing and vice-versa, in an endless circle of inter-action. Here is part of what we wrote for the open call about it: Together, we would like to imagine a performance using the browser, and the web, as a main staging tool. The browser is a great space for creation, and its languages allow for all kinds of unexpected things to happen. Looking at CSS for its declarativeness opens a lot of creative horizons that we wish to explore in this project. We aim to look at the possibilities and crossroads offered by languages (both human-oriented and machine-oriented). We both believe in an ethical web practice and in free software, as well as the importance of a crafty and poetical coding practice; for this reason, we also would like to try to build this website embracing raw and unabashed coding, meaning we embrace a code that doesn't fit the canonical standards of "well-written code". It is a code that is instinctive, that relies on feeling rather than mind and yet remains legible both by humans and machines. To that extent and to match our research interests, we are aiming for a project that looks at technicity as a craft, that approaches it as a poetic and sensible tool by embracing the "trial and error" philosophy. We seek to rely on intuition as a way of finding answers, following the principle that the magic lies in the balance between technicity and sensibility. Our performance aims to deconstruct the idea that AI is a magical being: agents are being designed in a way to appear as a magical solution: their branding is, in most cases, using gradients that evolve from purple to light pink, or using sparkles as icons. They also are meant to appear human, but with augmented capabilities: ChatGPT replies with a live typing input instead of delivering it in one go, mimicking a natural conversation. Magic relates to something usually unseen or beyond understanding, and since we can't really read through AI, it reinforces this "magical" feeling about it. There is an interesting connection to draw between this phenomenon and the actual casual magic scene: stage magicians' and illusionists' acts are a smokescreen, tricking the human brain into thinking that what is happening is magical when it is actually a play of dexterity. AI is the virtual/digital incarnation of those tricks. This totally shows when asking AI to write code: instead of delivering a straight answer, it would make mistakes, but also hallucinate and add features or unsollicited styles when asked to simply correct a block of code. We then would like to explore more about where magic truly lies, as an opposition to the great lie promoted by the promise of AI; a quirky, honest and poetical human intervention. Our performance takes place on a stage where two keyboards and two computer mice are connected to the same device, both of us typing and wandering in the web browser, using it as a support to the narration. The conversation takes place both physically (as spoken word) and on the screen (through the code and its rendering in the browser), giving rhythm to the performance. The deal would be to go back and forth, with one person giving instructions, out loud, to the other, typing and interpreting, giving space to their own sensibility. As the performance evolves, both written and spoken dialogue bring a polyphony, and gain in intensity. As they are a core axis of our research, we aim to look at the many relationships being woven: in between both of us, as instructor and receiver, but also between each of us and the code; between each of us and the browser.

2_ How do you plan to make it?

The results of the open call will be announced on December 16. Until then, we will keep in touch via Signal and Jitsi conversations, to exchange references and to think further about the content of the performance (text). Personally, I will also engage more precisely with my research subject and writing, in order to complete and enrich our message and project content. Prototypes about the devices' connections and performance will also be made throughout the process (not yet sure how though). We also hope to make Queenie visit the XPUB studio (or at least Rotterdam) so we can prototype together, or to make me visit her in Brussels.

3_ What is your timetable?

September-April

Reading, discussing and writing the thesis: Gathering references, reading, investigating, listening to audio/video content, running interviews and analysis Selecting and laying out content into the thesis

until December 16

Discussing, gathering references, prototyping

January-April

Writing the thesis Continue prototyping, making design/staging decisions Meeting IRL

April-June

Going into residency from May 11 to May 17 (either in the 25AV residency, or setting up our own if we don't win the open call)

4_ Why do you want to make it?

Again for the residency application, we wrote the following: We are applying because our practices and interests match directly with the spirit of the 25av open call: our desire is to try new things with the tools at hand, sometimes trying counter-intuitive and poetical practices as a way to shift from the technically precise to the experimental. Both of our practices evolve around web creation (making pages, websites, and tools), and aim to question our relationships with technology. It simply makes sense. In detail: this residency offer is a perfect opportunity for Kiara, who is currently researching on themes relating to the magic and the web, while Queenie just finished the creation of a performance called Into the machine box in which poetry && web-based interfaces allowed her to explore the limitations of spoken and written text appearing at the same time. Our goal here is to merge our practices together. Trough conversation, an idea leads to another! If we're being more metaphorical here, web practices are a never ending back-and-forth process; you write code, save (ctrl + S), switch to your browser window and refresh (ctrl + R), and you do it all again until things seem right. The same back-and-forth is at the heart of collaboration: it provides an extension to one's perspectives; by confronting and merging ideas, practices and points of view, we make our understanding of the world grow and thus allow our creative practices to evolve. It is a key aspect of creation, to be able to open our minds and our reach so we can learn and help each other in a back and forth mutual relationship. Our relationship is virtual and has always been (as in, we've never met) but we're both from the same city (Toulouse, France), where we have groups of friends, places and habits in common. Instead, we met online, and for a long time our relationship was a silent one, a lurking one for years. It was knowing a lot about each other's works && practices && interests while actually knowing nothing about each other. Like a shadow hovering, waiting to be brought to shape. This collaboration will act as a way of giving voice (literally - talking, speaking, screaming, whispering, etc.) to it. In addition to this, as I am interested in exploring the magic of the web, I get more and more confronted to the AI bubble (that still hasn't exploded sadly). I figured that since both the web and magic are political, the project should also be. So this project is a political stance against GenAI and for human-ness (as in poetic, making errors, sensible). It aims at reconnecting the human body to its actions through web crafting - an essentially human activity - and showing that the connections we share in-between humans can also be shared on the web. (not sure about the phrasing)

5_ Who can help you and how?

☼ Lídia Pereira and Manetta Berends: broader context, writing help and references, tutoring ☼ Doriane Timmermans: we share research interests and practices + her research project declarations is closely linked and nourishing my own research ☼ Lucile Haute: her work is quite inspiring, I would love to chat with her as she is an experienced (cyber)witch ☼ Miriam Suzanne: CSS wizard, she wrote about CSS rituals, would also love to have a chat with her regarding her relationship and views towards (CSS)web and magic ☼ Raphaël Bastide: his practice of code is quite atypical and creative, it seems very assertive in its sketchiness. His project often end up quite magical and very avant-garde in a way. He also wrote this that relates a lot to my topic ☼ Noémie A., my best friend, for the existential crisis times when I question the whole project

6_ Relation to previous practice

It relates strongly to both our practices and interests: ☼ Into the machine box, by Queenie F. Charles ☼ Lost in Narration, by Kiara Jouhanneau, Eleni Fili, Claudio Castro Chaponan, Lexie van Eekelen, Chrissy Ströbele and Zuhui Kang

7_ Relation to a larger context This project falls into the realm of magic and esotericism and alchemy (transforming, shaping); the realm of hyperlinks, interconnections, sharing networks and energies. It is tied to the indie web, web-making as a craft, web languages as a form of poetry - and expression. It also relates to various practices around online community building, blogging, bringing online relationships to the physical world by meeting.

8_ References/bibliography

1. Writings ☼ Syster Papyri Magicae, Artemis Gryllaki, 2020 ☼ Le forcing de l'IA, Limites Numériques, 2025 ☼ An essay on magic, Ramsey Dukes (2000) ☼ This is for everyone, Tim Berners-Lee (2025) ... 2. Projects ☼ De-generative ☼ Cyberwitches Manifesto ☼ Library of Babel ☼ Code-Poetry ☼ Datableed (mezangelle) ☼ Dasha Ilina's website ☼ Youpron ☼ Mac Garden Themes Archive ☼ XPUB SI 26 with Doriane and especially the stylesheet we wrote on octomode (2025) ☼ Witch, BBC radio podcast (2023) ...

second draft [up to date]

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1_ What do you want to make?

In the video game jargon, a DLC (downloadable content) is an extension to a game that comes in addition to a game, often (but not always) for an additional cost. A DLC enhances the gaming experience and can provide a story-line focusing on a specific character for example. In that way, the project here described poses as a DLC, an extension for the thesis (that will not induce payment). The project is a website aiming to further investigate the key concepts outlined in the thesis. The thesis aims to investigate the intricate relationship between the magic and the web. It does so by observing and analyzing some practices, as well as the core functioning of the web. This website will thus extend that investigation by providing a live example. As I specialize in hybrid publication, conveying this message and illustrating the statement will be done through 2 main aspects: a/ Form Form is shape. Magic as a concept deals with metamorphosis and shape-shifting, which is a key aspect in building this website. The interactions, visitor (user) experience and architecture of the website will be depicting this. Keywords such as treasure hunt, randomness/randomization, in/visible, easter eggs ((meta) references hidden in plain sight, meant to be found but not too easily, in a playful way), maze, wandering or non-linearity are at play here. b/ Content Content is the readable, legible way through which the statement will be made clear, understandable, accessible. It relies on the research and the study of the subject, rendered accessible through a collection of (cross-)references, personal input, examples and even maybe the prototypes I'll be making throughout the year. In a nutshell, the content of the website will also be hybrid and versatile: extracts of conversations, short writings, links to external resources, snapshots of a personal practice linked to the research here conducted. It is a subtle maze of textual and visual content, connected by the power of hyperlink. The web is a powerful tool used by all political wings over the world, the project will bear that political aspect as well. The magic is formed by intuition and the way this intuition gets validated or not through observation and personal experience. This personal statement of mine is very relevant in the context of this project as the need to validate an intuition is transformed into action by the intentions we (humans) put into it. Simply put, one has an intuition (feeling, hunch, etc.); to validate the accuracy of that intuition, one will put intention into observation, actions towards that answer. Those actions can be very internalized and unconscious, yet they are very much present. Intention being the key word here, it connects the magic to the political side of the web, because politics is about intentions. In that bearing of intention, this project will be highly political, antifascist, anti-bot, anti-AI, anti-capitalistic, etc. It will be an ode to minorities, an ode to the feminine/yin energies of the world. It will be poetic, mystical, playful and just the right amount of disturbing. It is meant to raise questions, not to be agreed with blindly. It is a tool (maybe not the right word) for empowerment and resistance. [how? why?]

2_ How do you plan to make it?

Writing the thesis will provide content for the website: text extracts, interviews, analysis, etc. While researching and writing for the thesis, I will create a database of web pages and their associated links (<a>). It will also include extra content, views; additional content, a DLC in a way. Once the content is laid down, the thesis will be handed over to the examination jury and thus will begin the designing part: interactions, randomization, easter-eggs, hyperlinks and the visual interface. (Maybe there will be a CSS-print function, but that is not a key feature.)

3_ What is your timetable?

September-April

Reading, discussing and writing the thesis: Gathering references, reading, investigating, listening to audio/video content, running interviews and analysis Selecting and laying out content into the thesis Mapping the website (the architecture of the hyperlinks) Selecting and adding content to the website (plain HTML)

April-June

Designing the website: Graphics & visual interface (CSS) Navigation; interactions (CSS + JS)

4_ Why do you want to make it?

This project has a multiple intentions: Resistance: magic is political, the web is political so this whole research project (including thesis) is obviously political. When extreme political power rise, the first layers of society they impeach are human rights (specifically those of wxmen and minorities) and culture. Both magic and web are spaces/practices deeply rooted into culture and/or feminity, as well as activism and providing safe online spaces and communities to the oppressed. Thus the website here described aims to be a tool against rising -isms (particularly fascism right now). Poetry and beauty: beside being political matters, the web and magic are also very poetic. This will be further documented in the thesis, providing examples, but a few can be listed here as appetizers --- De-generative / Cyberwitches Manifesto / Library of Babel / Code-Poetry / Datableed (mezangelle) / Dasha Ilina's website / Youpron / Mac Garden Themes Archive ... Expanding the thesis: the character limit is quite short, so to illustrate further my point, I am practicing it. Hacking the grading system by expanding the thesis' content into the project itself.

5_ Who can help you and how?

☼ Marloes de Valk and Lídia Pereira: broader context, writing help and references, tutoring ☼ Doriane Timmermans: we share research interests and practices + her research project declarations is closely linked and nourishing my own research ☼ Rosa Schuurmans, Louisa Teichmann and Roos Groothuizen in the context of prikbord.page; and relation to XPUB as well as indie web? ☼ Isabelle Cargol: conversations about magic flows and energies, unseen/invisible manifestations, etc. ☼ Lucile Haute: her work is quite inspiring, I would love to chat with her as she is an experienced (cyber)witch ☼ Miriam Suzanne: CSS wizard, she wrote about CSS rituals, would also love to have a chat with her regarding her relationship and views towards (CSS)web and magic ☼ Raphaël Bastide: his practice of code is quite atypical and creative, it seems very assertive in its sketchiness. His project often end up quite magical and very avant-garde in a way. He also wrote this that relates a lot to my topic ☼ Noémie A., my best friend, for the existential crisis times when I question the whole project

6_ Relation to previous practice

☼ Tarot readings, tarot designing (trial), interest for the invisible and the various manifestations and forms magic can take ☼ Basically website crafting and CSS-print practice since 4 years now, specifically: ☼ an idea I haven't developed yet, for an Alice in Wonderland themed website - showcasing mazy/non-linear navigation, peculiar interactions and/or apparitions, etc. Very inspired from this zine I made a few years ago; ☼ Babel, a website based on Borges' short-story, enacting the intertwining and layering of the library into a "Terms of Use" mock-up (french only); ☼ Rêves Party (2021 grad project) is a playful hybrid publication. A collection of texts taken from French literature inviting to dream and wander; the texts are chosen for their relation to time, dreaming, traveling, wandering, escaping. The narration is obviously non-linear as the texts are not sorted by their publication date but by a logical way in which the texts respond to one another. Since 2021, the book has gained 4 texts, rising the total up to 8, and I plan on making an English version, based on British/American literature. It lives both as a web interface and a printed booklet; ☼ Lilas Prose's website who's work is rooted in poetry, femininity, re/up-cycling and repurposing. Key concepts that are conveyed by her website pertaining to the indie web. ☼ Participation to the Indie Web Guide built by Wing Pang in 2024

7_ Relation to a larger context This project falls into the realm of magic and esoterism and alchemy (transforming, shaping); the realm of hyperlinks, interconnections, sharing networks and energies. It is tied to the indie web, web-making as a craft, web languages as a form of poetry - and expression. It also relates to various practices around online community building, blogging, archiving, highlighting, forecasting the unseen, but also practices such as (re)building the web, shaping the web we want, online resistance and algorithmic sabotage. It is also cuddling with the notions of hacking and hacktivism.

8_ References/bibliography

1. Previous XPUB works ☼ Syster Papyri Magicae, Artemis Gryllaki, 2020 ☼ Let's Talk About Unspeakable Things, Angeliki Diakrousi, 2019 ☼ Unlearning the Rules of Collectivity, Giulia de Giovanelli, 2018 2. About non-linearity, browsing, investigating and poetic/contemplating navigation/exploration ☼ Outer Wilds ☼ De-generative ☼ Cyberwitches Manifesto ☼ Library of Babel ☼ Code-Poetry ☼ Datableed (mezangelle) ☼ Dasha Ilina's website ☼ Youpron ☼ Mac Garden Themes Archive ... 3. About magic in general ☼ An essay on magic, Ramsey Dukes (2000) ☼ Cyberwitches manifesto, Lucile Olympe Haute (2016) ☼ XPUB SI 26 with Doriane and especially the stylesheet we wrote on octomode (2025) ☼ Witch, BBC radio podcast (2023) 4. About the web ☼ This is for everyone, Tim Berners-Lee (2025)

first draft [deprecated]

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1_ What do you want to make?

Something that is poetic and maybe a bit mystical, that highlights the links between wxmen, magic, community building and the internet as an intertwined network of links. Probably a web interface offering a non-linear browsing experience. ((hyperlink ~~ hyperfeminine))

2_ How do you plan to make it?

The elements listed below might very well end up being a prototype, this one in particular ☼ Collecting — Through readings, for now the idea is to collect and showcase a collection of ideas and principles revolving around the concepts and ideas highlighted in this draft. ☼ Reflecting — After gathering those collections, I will add on them: connecting them and adding my own thoughts. ☼ Connecting: fiction — An idea that may or may not be implemented is to insert narration, to create a journey, guided by themes interconnecting the topics and thus creating a non-linear travel through them.

3_ What is your timetable?

September-November — Reading, discussing and getting a more precise idea of the thesis outline November-December — Getting to the core of the actual project, precising prototypes, precising the project proposal From January on — Keeping Jean-Claude in perfect balance between writing and making

4_ Why do you want to make it?

One reason is quite obviously to highlight the statements of the thesis Highlighting the magic of the web(?)

5_ Who can help you and how?

☼ Marloes de Valk and Lídia Pereira for broader context, writing help and references ☼ Doriane Timmermans for collaborative creation and community building ☼ Zineb Ammar, my friend, and the whole GoLibreGirls collective we are building together ☼ Rosa Schuurmans, Louisa Teichmann and Roos Groothuizen in the context of prikbord.page; and relation to XPUB as well as indie web? ☼ Isabelle Cargol with conversations on reconnecting to our inner strength, the power of the Earth and the cosmos, the sacred feminine and unseen/invisible manifestations ☼ Lucile Haute ☼ Miriam Suzanne

6_ Relation to previous practice

☼ This past year, I have been building Lilas Prose's website. Her work is rooted in poetry, femininity, recycling and repurposing, so for her website we worked in tied collaboration, and the website is now available, in a temporary shape until I can safely transfer it into a CMS so Lilas can use and modify it by herself and thus gain full autonomy on it. ☼ My graduation project in 2021, Rêves Party, is a collection of texts taken from French literature, inviting to dream and wander. The texts are chosen for their relation to time, dreaming, traveling, wandering, escaping. The narration is obviously non-linear as the texts are not sorted by their publication date but by a logical way in which the texts respond to one another. Since 2021, the book has gained 4 texts, one being from Lilas Prose, and I plan on making an English version, based on British/American literature.

7_ Relation to a larger context Relates to magic and esoterism and alchemy (transforming, shaping), hyperlinks, interconnections, sharing networks and energies.

Previous notes on research topics that could very much end up feeding the global picture ☼ Patience | Learning. Making puzzles. Coding and debugging (links to the Handmade Web text by JR Carpenter and her praising of smallness and slowness as key points of the handmade web). Designing. Writing. Reading. Relationships. Activism. Making a change. Taking part/Taking action. Maintaining. It is all around us. Zoning out. Attention deficit. Daydreaming. How they communicate, intertwine, fail. Automation. Tricks. Hacks. Getting around the issues? --- [About slowness - discussion on Executing Micro-Temporality] if the throbber appears I'm just closing the page, I'm not going to wait for that! and our relationship towards instantaneous against patience/taking the time ☼ Femininity and magic | something I considered researching at first was the symbols of the sacred and the invisible. This rose by reading Brigitte Pietzark's book, in which she transcribes conversations she has with entities from the invisible world. This relationship to the unseen and the realm of souls is deeply tied to magic representations such as witches, but also deeply rooted in the feminine. 8_ References/bibliography 1. Previous XPUB works ☼ Syster Papyri Magicae, Artemis Gryllaki, 2020 ☼ Let's Talk About Unspeakable Things, Angeliki Diakrousi, 2019 ☼ Unlearning the Rules of Collectivity, Giulia de Giovanelli, 2018 2. About non-linearity, browsing, investigating and poetic/contemplating navigation/exploration ☼ Outer Wilds ☼ 3. About magic in general ☼ An essay on magic, Ramsey Dukes (2000) ☼ Cyberwitches manifesto, Lucile Olympe Haute (2016) ☼ XPUB SI 26 with Doriane and especially the stylesheet we wrote on octomode (2025) ☼ Witch, BBC radio podcast (2023) 4. About the web ☼ This is for everyone, Tim Berners-Lee (2025)