Wojak and cloudbeard
About
trans~figuration
transfiguration
noun: a complete change of form or appearance into a more beautiful or spiritual state.
This work embodies emergence from the constraints of corporeal conformity to the perceptions of female form, a body yearning to be unencumbered by superfluous binary gendered flesh.
There is hope in the fluidity and freedom of coming home to the body felt,
as opposed to the body worn for a lifetime thus far.
trans~figuration
is a ritualised movement work created in collaboration between
performer Wojak and sound artist cloudbeard.
Reclaiming space for the power of the aging queer trans body.
Reclaiming space for elders.
Telling our stories so that they may be remembered.
When we are young the future is unimaginably vast.
But with time, a new urgency becomes more apparent:
to manifest our truths in a finite human lifespan.
The presentation in Day for Night occurs exactly one month after top surgery.
new body…new movement…new possibilities…new future…
WOJAK
Wojak is a trans genderfluid artist whose work crosses the precipice of performative and visual art forms, with a particular interest in site-specificity, durational performance, ritual and altered states. They live & work on Widjabul Wia-bul Bundjalung Country, Northern Rivers NSW, Australia.
This cross-disciplinary artist studied in Gdańsk, Poland amid the turmoil of Solidarity and Martial Law and has been has been an exhibiting artist for over 40 years, with work short listed in numerous award exhibitions, and featured in private and public collections including Artbank and the National Portrait Gallery of Australia. In 2007 they were awarded the prestigious Blake Prize.
Their performance practice was born of Sydney 90's queer culture with work shown throughout Australia and internationally, including collaborations with senVoodoo (co-founder), Tony Yap Co (Australia), Pacitti Co (UK), La Pocha Nostra (US/Mexico), Felix Ruckert (Germany), Textile Audio and cloudbeard (Australia).
Wojak has performed at festivals in Australia, Europe and Asia, such as: Interakcje14 Poland 2006, DIAF China 2006, Alice Desert Festival 2007, Brisbane Festival 2011, Navinki Belorus 2012, undisclosed territories Java 2007 & 2013, MAP Delhi 2015, MAP Festival Melaka Malaysia x 9, Pelem Arts Festival, Java 2016,18, Buffalo Field Bangkok 2018, MoNA FoMA Hobart 2018, The (un)usual Festival & Dark Science Lismore 2019, Live Dreams Performance Space, Sydney 2021 & Bantegan Festival Batu Java 2022.
In recent years their work has evolved into a more dance based practice with ongoing explorations informed by psychophysical and autoschediatic movement, Butoh and South East Asian trance, creating visually poetic work that resonates with a visceral depth.
Wojak & cloudbeard have been collaborating closely since 2014 including festival performances in Melaka Malaysia & Bangkok Thailand.
cloudbeard
cloudbeard (Brandon Casidy) is based in Minjungbal Bundjalung Country, Northern Rivers NSW,, Northern Rivers NSW. He is a sound and installation artist who typically works within the fringes of liminal culture and Temporary Autonomous Zones. Since the late 90’s his explorations with tape loops, field recordings and musique concrete evolved into atmospheric layering of warm frayed sonic patterns and textures with descriptive or stark noise and tonality.
cloudbeard creates works using a combination of assemblage instruments, processed guitar, amplified spaces and objects and light triggered devices. His performances are themed and immersive, often durational and site specific, and rooted in oriental and occult mythos, ritualised improvisation, and altered states.
Cloudbeard has performed and exhibited solo and collaborative works across Australia, Asia, and the U.S, and curates regular events with his wife {GalaxyStone} as Liminal Caravan.
DAY FOR NIGHT 2022