Ivey Wawn creates dance-based work that explores the ideas of power, control and consent in the context of capitalism and the organisation of labour.

Ivey’s practice uses the medium of dance and choreography as a form of resistance to capitalism. Her body of work has focused on the issues of the wage relation, care, microbial reproductive labour, the commodity, and invisibility, among other things.

Ivey was supported by a Cultural Trust grant to undertake self-directed practice exchanges with networks in Europe and New York, a residency at Tanzhaus Zurich, and to visit shows and perform in programs at the APAP|NYC 2019 conference, New York.

During this time, Ivey connected with other artists who reinforced the importance of maintaining creative and artistic practice at the forefront of her life. Further, the space to create without a determined outcome allowed Ivey to create without the capitalist pressure that she criticises and rebels against within her work.

Access to time and space in Zurich gave me the opportunity to work on my practice without the pressure of an outcome. In New York, and in the rest of my time in Europe, I was able to have meaningful conversations and practice dialogue with colleagues overseas. It was particularly inspiring with regards to thinking about how to make artistic work sustainable and to think about the breadth of artistic practice.
Ivey Wawn