Introduction:

Before slipping into the content of the project, I’d like to speak directly and candidly to the visitor. Affective Vessels is a project birthed from an atomic friction preexisting between all subjects, the participants of the Sensual World; I simply act as an observer and mediator. Specifically, the project navigates through a liquid intersection between affectivities, mysteries, similes, poetics, objects and bodies. Drifting somewhere between the fields of phenomenology, agential realism, object-oriented ontology, speculative realism and process philosophy, the intention is to softly open slits where new poetical theory can slip through into contemporary thought, bringing to light ancient relationships between all subjects bound by affect, fiction, friction, latency, possibility, becoming and potentiality. Few of the inquiries made will be based on scientific or biological conclusions; an overly-charted territory preoccupied with dissecting and codifying the mechanics behind something, aggressively and interrogatively revealing how, why and what makes something work. Instead, these inquiries are informed by empiricism, affect and poetical approximations to the phenomena that whirls around us and commonly goes unnoticed or is belittled. How do we feel about things, and how can those feelings evolve into reflections and then theorizations and then actions to help mend the many rifts between all subjects? Beyond descriptions, pragmatism and debunking —processes that have reigned over the way we hierarchically evaluate and inevitably dismiss things—, how can one weave a more inclusive web wherein members and participants of this world dialogue, listen, feel? Can an affective evaluation of something bring us closer to all forms of life, biological, gaseous, liquid, solid, mineral, and therefore to each other? Can the exercise of generating theory that isn’t a product of entitlement, self-proclaimed authorship, biased accuracy and obsessive irrefutable proof, help us dismantle academic hierarchies and empower one to intervene in the world, accepting ourselves and the things around us as legitimate wells of sentience and magic?

Affective Vessels is theory seen through the eyes of science fiction. This is why there are few quotes from popular authors; the cis-hetero Western generators of theory of reference. Investigating affectively does include gathering sentiments from others that investigate affectively. The intention is to generate theory in dialogue with these researchers, giving continuity to unconventional perspectives. The other intention is to cultivate theory derived from unexpected and uncommon places, which sparks as a byproduct a reinforcing of sentiments and reflections made by authors before me, thus culminating in a collective thrust toward the quotidian production of queered and do-it-together theory. As proposed by Karen Barad:

“Doing theory requires being open to the world’s aliveness, allowing oneself to be lured by curiosity, surprise, and wonder. Theories are not mere metaphysical pronouncements on the world from some presumed position of exteriority. Theories are living and breathing reconfigurings of the world.”[1]

Through feeling, dialoguing, experiencing and gathering sentiments from others who have delved into these matters before me, Affective Vessels is just the warp thread carried by a greater tapestry needle, cradled by an infinite loom. Affirmations, proclamations, assertions, commands and endings have no place here. The tapestry will be never-ending, bathed in potentiality, and open to speculation, questioning and updates. There are three aspects to the project: essays, poetry and collage. All three illustrate similar concepts and were created in tandem. For the essays, I provide a glossary of neologisms and poetic plays-on-words that, like a legend to a map, will help better navigate through the narrative. Please find access to said glossary by clicking on any body of text (like this one). Below the glossary, you will find access points to return to the essay you were on.

There will be several shifts in tone and in perspective. Some writings will be more formal, while most will take on a more informal, observational voice. Secondly, I will use the first person, second person and third person perspectives in the writing as I intend to be inclusive, connect with the reader, have them participate and inspire a kind of choral dynamic. Note that quotes from authors will be in double quotes “ ”, while emphatic dialogue within the essay that shifts in tone and voice will be in single quotes ‘ ’.

Regarding the usability and content of the website, please use the vessels at the end of each page as portals to go back to the central points of the site. If an object you click on takes you out of the website, you can simply use your browser’s back arrow to return to the content. Note that some of the pages require the sound to be on. Also note that the essays are accompanied by visuals that may require scrolling right and left to experience. At the end of each essay, I provide a pad in which visitors can freely edit my writings, add sentiments and reflections, question my theories and add on to the base that I have generated. I also provide a visual version of the essay which is a parallel navigation to the essay. Be aware of which objects are clickable; they provide access to different content. To zoom out on the pages for a more birds-eye view, you can use the command+ (for Mac) or control+ (for PC) key combination. The essays are structured like stairs; the user must scroll down and to the right like descending stairs. As a final note, I’d like to add that both Hotglue and Constant pads are DIY, open-source, feminist and queer supported platforms which connect very faithfully to the transparent and embracing character of the project.
Enjoy, reflect, interact, warm up, empty, engage, care, feel.


Welcome to Affective Vessels.