Interdisciplinary Collaborations Lead To ‘Disaster Divergence’ Outdoor Performance
An evening of music and visuals influenced by the impact of natural disasters will be performed by faculty in the College of Performance, Visualization and Fine Arts on Thursday at 8:30 p.m. in the courtyard of the Liberal Arts and Arts and Humanities Building.
“Disaster Divergence” will feature a 50-minute performance by Dr. Francisco Perez, instructional associate professor, and Dr. Lynn Vartan, associate professor in Music Performance. Perez composed the eight new works for percussion duo and electronic accompaniment.
The faculty collaborations began with funding from an AI multidisciplinary grant for research and creative works through the college.
“We are very grateful as faculty to have opportunities to collaborate,” Vartan said. “One of the great strengths and powers of our college is the openness of everyone to work together and create something amazing.”
The event was inspired by natural disasters, including the Los Angeles wildfires earlier this year. Dr. Wai Tong, assistant professor in Visualization, and Dr. Marian Eide, an English professor at the College of Arts and Sciences, joined Perez and Vartan in planning the event.
“We started to come up with this concept of keeping our friends and colleagues in Los Angeles in mind,” she said. “But also, especially in Texas with hurricanes, fires, natural disasters and how they affect humans, and how they leave an indelible mark on our lives. The project started to shape around that concept.”
The collaboration expanded with Visualization instructors Tim Weaver and Joel Zika, along with Hollis Hammonds, who will officially join the faculty in the fall. They created artwork that will be projected onto two pillars in the courtyard.
Poetry curated by Eide will accompany the music, with dictation by Vartan and Anne Quackenbush, assistant professor of practice in Theatre. An original poem by Dr. Michael Collins, an English professor, will be featured.
Tong used artificial intelligence to translate the poetry into American Sign Language. He created a human-like avatar that will be projected onto a pillar in the courtyard, using sign language as the poems are recited.
“By integrating AI-driven ASL interpretation into the performance, we aim to highlight the importance of accessibility in the arts and how technology can bridge communication gaps,” Tong said.
Perez said AI is a valuable tool for conceptual development in encouraging deeper thinking. Each work examines themes of “beauty, destruction, reflection and resilience” in relation to hurricanes and wildfires, he said.
The performances follow an emotional journey through nature, disasters and the trauma they cause, Perez said. “Rigged” explores the reality of a hurricane through Collins’ poem about Hurricane Katrina’s impact on New Orleans, Perez said. It concludes with “Yearning (Epilogue).”
“It doesn’t offer a clear resolution,” he said. “It’s not triumphant or mournful, but something more complex — a recognition of duality, of both hope and heaviness coexisting. My hope is that the final experience will offer space for audiences to connect, reflect and walk away feeling something real, whether it’s comfort, clarity or simply a deeper appreciation for the world around us.”
Perez said he was eager to collaborate on the project, and he emphasized the importance of faculty members working outside their usual creative circles and exchanging ideas across disciplines.
“Whether we’re discussing how a visual sequence might complement a musical moment or how a poem could reshape our emotional trajectory — those ongoing conversations have strengthened the work in meaningful ways,” he said.
To reserve a seat, email Vartan at vartan@tamu.edu.
