(De)composing the Mongrel: Improvisation and the (un)known

Improvisation is an attempt to transcend the self in a moment of intuitive action. It is an expression of knowledge beyond ordinary consciousness, the embodied wisdom of emptiness. Unlike composition, as a musical practice, improvisation is a way to express the depths of the (un)known and the knowing in the (un)knowing. As a framework for artistic research, improvisation can provide insight into knowledge that is embodied yet not easily articulated. In this article, I will document the development of my research practice through what I call (de) composition strategies: multi-modal approaches to improvisation that combine my experiences both as a musician and scholar. The article will mirror the multi-faceted nature of my work through interweaving academic discourse on consciousness and critical improvisation studies (Sarath 1996; Oliveros 2004; Fischlinn 2009) with musical examples, auto-ethnography, poetry and visual art inspired by dreams.