Performing Working

In Performing Working, we look at work through the lens of performance.
With this artistic research project, Philippine Hoegen aims to address a broader social problem: the invisibility of the performative in healthcare work, and the invisibility of labour in art and performance.

duration: March 2022 - February 2023

Performing Working will examine, on the one hand, the hidden performativity of work situations such as a hospital - the emotional, affective performances that are expected of care staff in order to fulfil the many different roles that the work requires, and equally of the non-staff: the work involved in fulfilling the role of the patient.

On the other hand, Performing Working looks at the many facets of the work involved in (performance) art, and tries to describe the - often invisible - labour of (performance) artists and art workers, and the many roles they too have to take in order to work in the complex field, to find out what it takes to do this work and what could make this work more sustainable.

Through Performing Working, we want to unravel the ambiguity of the labels performing and working, by a fruitful and productive crossing of both terms, and of the two domains of care and art. Put differently, we will look at work through the lens of performance. By using methods from artistic research and performance, the project aims to address a broader social problem: the invisibility of the performative in care work, and the invisibility of work in art and performance.

Training the Senses, Marres 9 november 2022 (foto: Rob van Hoorn)

Researchers

Colloborations

Performing Working is a transdisciplinaire collaboration by HKU lectoraat Performatieve Maakprocessen and Avans professorship Cultural and Creative Industries, with an academic hospital (UMCU) and cultural organisation Marres, Huis voor Hedendaagse Cultuur, around the work of artistic research Philippine Hoegen.

Supported by

SIA KIEM-GoCI


More information

Are you interested to learn more about the research project Performing Working? Get in touch with Debbie Straver: debbie.straver@hku.nl