Scalpland – poetic performance (1995-1996)

Background

This performance based work was initially presented as part of course work for Postgraduate Diploma at the University of Queensland, Department of Art History Visiting Scholar program in 1995. It was later presented at Volt:the new performance at the Institute of Modern Art, Brisbane in 1996.

In 1994, Tracey received an Individual Professional Development Grant from Arts Queensland to attend a summer school titled ‘Decolonising Knowledge’ which aided her development in regard to the conceptual content she explores in her work.

Scalpland was developed from this research, utilising the body and the notion of the landscape as exchangeable metaphors signifying colony.

Overview

The key areas of consideration were:

1. To explore the contemporary implications of Australia’s colonial (myth)story as exemplified by the reality of the urban sprawl.

2. To subtly reference Australia’s colonial past as a penal colony as one of the various discursive operations surrounding the act clippering…