Artistic Expeditions in Consciousness FMy artistic practice has always been an expedition in consciousness and this form of artistic research supports my formal doctoral research, the correlation of rhythm and consciousness, at Plymouth University, CAiiA. I’m interested in activities and devices that facilitate a transformative shift in consciousness, and in particular, that result in extraordinary creativity, peak performance and inspiration.

Artwork: “Video Mnemonic” projection The artwork I am exhibiting is a “Video Mnemonic”, a digital video that integrates coordinated rhythmic cycles. The project is an attempt to “prime” a condition or state of consciousness that might be called noetic or lucid wakefulness, which is conducive to and accelerates inspiration and creative activity. The video is made up of three rhythmic cycles which correspond to three types of awareness – in this case perhaps intellect (brain), emotion (heart) and instinct (gut). When attention is equally focused and distributed upon all three types of awareness equally the result is a shifted state of consciousness. A shifted perspective perhaps, or enhanced lucidity that is receptive to insights, inspirations and conducive to creative activity. The project draws inspiration from the following research case studies: • Lucid Dream induction exercises researched by Stephen LaBerge, Ph.D. at Stanford University and described in “The World of Lucid Dreaming”. I am working with three types of the rhythmic exercises, adapted for the induction of a wakeful lucidity. • African Yoruba rhythms of ritualized possession, in this case the polyrhythm that is associated with the Orisha (deity) Ellegua, the gatekeeper between the realms of the material and spiritual realms. Each Yoruba polyrhythm is made of 3 rhythms: a grounding rhythm, a portal or opening, and the call to the specific deity •The “Mnemonic” graphical devices of 13th century logician Raymon Lull and “Art of Memory” practices. Solutions to posed problems would be generated by turning three concentric “wheels” and interpreting the juxtaposition of inscribed codes which corresponded to memorized “universal truths”. A “mnemonic in previous times was a device to access both memory and future events. This is an evolving artwork. Previous versions have been exhibited in NYC, 2015 and initially at the Cairo Di-Egy Exhibition in 2013. Links:

“Video Mnemonic” (Pam Payne, 2015) on YouTube: “Video Mnemonic” (Pam Payne, 2015)

“Artistic Expeditions in Consciousness” Master Class: BecomeBecome, Athens Greece, May 2016

Artist's Bio Pam Payne is a transdisciplinary artist from the NYC metropolitan area, currently based in Brooklyn, NY. Her projects explore the transformative potential of artistic works and their impact on consciousness and culture. Her artworks include installations, performance, recordings and prints using digital and analog time-based media such as sound, video projection and code. Her projects have been awarded grants from NYSCA, LMCC, ETVC and The Puffin Foundation and her artworks have been exhibited and writing published in the US and internationally. A graduate of NYU’s ITP program in the 1908s, Payne is currently a PhD candidate in the Technoetic Arts, researching the correlation of rhythm and consciousness in post-digital culture with Roy Ascott at the Planetary Collegium, Center for Advanced Inquiry in the Integrative Arts (CAiiA), University of Plymouth, UK.