Performance Space's "You're History!" Festival Closing Day

Source: Whim Online Magazine

Yesterday was Performance Space's final day of their 'You're History!' Festival, a 12-day event which saw Eveleigh's entire Carriagworks building turned into a space celebrating 30 years of the most exciting developments in Australian performance, dance, theatre, visual art, sound, and music.

I attended the Festival during the afternoon to witness 'Drawing Weight', as part of the '30 Ways with Time and Space' series of performances. The website explains this rare event, stating: "For this extraordinary one-off event, leading Australian artist Agatha Gothe-Snape will transform Carriageworks’ public space into a multifaceted performance space, creating series of modular plinths and platforms to house a kaleidoscopic array of short and durational works."

'Drawing Weight' was a "site responsive sculptural collaboration", and it involved Torie Nimmervoll standing atop a plith, attached to a 30kg concrete sculpture hanging above her head whilst being counterbalanced by the weight of her body (see picture 2 above).

In a room next door to Torie's performance, a large screen was playing Brown Council's video work titled 'This is Barbara Cleveland' (you can click here to read a recent Whim interview with the Brown Council ladies). The Performance Space website provides more information on this project, stating: "This is Barbara Cleveland is the latest instalment in their ongoing project that pays tribute to the life and work of Cleveland. This new video work celebrates and seeks to define Cleveland, who disappeared in 1981. Confusing fact and fiction, history and memory, this meditation on performance gives voice to this mythic feminist artist who has been left out of the pages of Australian art history."

The afternoon I experienced at Performance's Space's 'You're History!' Festival was both eye-opening and mesmerizing, and I only wish I was also free to stay into the night when even more talented and unique performances were available to watch - including 'Transformational Limb-Syncer', 'Stereogamous and Friends', and a highly-anticipated musical performance by Paul Capsis and Alister Spence.

To keep updated with Performance Space and their future events and exhibitions, you can give their Facebook page a 'like' or visit their website here. You can also view more information about each individual performance at the 'You're History!' Festival by visiting the event's program. 

Best wishes,

Melanie (Editor)

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