Atmospheres of street performance in Taipei: Affect and emotion as dynamic, simultaneous, more-than-representational experiences

• Published in: Emotion, space and society Vol. 38; p. 100766
• Main Author: Tan, Xin Wei Andy
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.02.2021
• Subjects: Affect; Atmosphere; Emotion; Ethnography; More-than-representational method; Street performance; Taipei; More-than-representational method; Ethnography; Street performance; Atmosphere; Taipei; Emotion; Affect
• ISSN: 1755-4586; 1878-0040
• DOI: 10.1016/j.emospa.2021.100766

Studies of street performance have highlighted its potential for creating vibrant and inclusive urban places, yet have largely neglected its atmospheric, affectual and emotional dimensions. Building on a growing body of work on atmospheres and dynamics of affect and emotion, I examine the formation of atmospheres by street performances in Taipei and its affectual and emotional resonance on space and people. I used an experimental more-than-representational methodology, including implementing a live survey questionnaire through the audience's smartphones during a performance. An atmosphere of street performance is generated through the lively interactions between the street performer, members of the audience, performance objects and the wider urban environment. Performance objects and the urban streetscape are vitalised as part of street performance, and have excessive potential in producing atmospheres. The spatio-temporal dimension of performance atmosphere is significant in generating memories and creating a therapeutic atmospheric space, experienced affectually and emotionally. I suggest that it would be helpful to see atmosphere and its affectual and emotional impact as dynamic, simultaneous experiences that people encounter as they are enmeshed within an atmosphere, such as in more-than-individual experiences or unexpected events. Within a changing atmosphere, there are multiple layers of affective and emotional outcomes, whether felt and emerging individually, and/or felt and emerging collectively. •A live survey questionnaire conducted through smartphones helps to dissect the turbulent nature of performance atmosphere.•Performance objects and the wider urban environment are vitalised for street performance.•Performance atmospheres, and its space-time, trigger memories and create therapeutic affections.•Performance atmospheres are co-produced through shared attunement and affective momentum of changing atmospheres in unexpected events.•Atmospheres and its affectual and emotional resonance are dynamic, multi-layered, simultaneous experiences.