WHEN I AM NOT THERE
WHEN I AM NOT THERE takes the form of a performance–exhibition. It embeds a major new choreographic work within an exhibition of artworks, objects, texts and sounds, all distilled from Lasica’s archive. This approach questions what it means ‘to perform’ and ‘to exhibit’, purposefully ensuring that one mode cannot exist without the other.
Lasica’s body of work is uniquely characterised by the conversations it holds with the traditions and practices of theatre, fashion, installation, painting, sound, sculpture, literature, architecture and choreography itself. These conversations create both a physical and relational infrastructure within her practice as she has moved between solo performance and ensemble works for many people. For WHEN I AM NOT THERE, Lasica has worked with a cross-generational mix of creatives, including dancers LJ Connolly-Hiatt, Luke Fryer, Timothy Harvey, Rebecca Jensen, Megan Payne, Lana Šprajcer and Oliver Savariego; sound artist François Tétaz; consultants Lisa Radford and Colby Vexler; creative producer Zoe Theodore and curator Hannah Mathews.
WHEN I AM NOT THERE was originally commissioned for Monash University Museum of Art, Melbourne where it was presented from 16-27 August 2022. It was then presented by the Art Gallery of New South Wales from 22 May-4 June 2023. The third iteration was presented at Perth Institute of Contemporary Art from 11-23 June 2024.
The publication accompanying Shelley Lasica: WHEN I AM NOT THERE is the first monograph of a contemporary Australian choreographer. Both the performance–exhibition and publication have been made possible by the support of the Australian Research Council Linkage Project, Precarious Movements: Choreography and the Museum, with the new commission supported by Monash University Museum of Art and the Art Gallery of New South Wales and their benefactor group, Atelier.
Project credits
- Choreographer
- Shelley Lasica
- Performers
- Luke Fryer, LJ Connolly-Hiatt, Timothy Harvey, Rebecca Jensen, Shelley Lasica, Megan Payne, Oliver Savariego, Lana Šprajcer
- Curator
- Hannah Mathews
- Creative Producer
- Zoe Theodore
- Sound
- François Tétaz
- Creative Consultants
- Lisa Radford
- Colby Vexler
- Image Credits
- Jacqui Shelton
- Supported by
- Precarious Movements: Choreography and the Museum is a research project hosted by UNSW Sydney and involves the following partner organisations: Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney; MUMA, Melbourne; National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne; Tate UK; and Lasica as Primary Research Associate.
