The Stephen Cummins Residency is a two-week-long residency for emerging queer artists or collectives to make significant progress towards creating a new performance work. The development process is overseen and facilitated by an experienced mentor nominated by the artist or with the support of Performance Space. The Stephen Cummins residency artist is supported by Little Orange, a Campbelltown Arts Centre working studio for artists who identify as a person living with disability, d/Deaf and Hard of Hearing and/or Disabled Creatives.

Adam Jones (he/him), an installation and video artist, is the 2023 resident.

Project Title: Heart Eater

Project Description: Adam Jones will create Heart Eater, a new drag-performance video work mentored by artist Liam Benson in performance and movement.

The work will continue Adam’s methodical research into occult mysticism and magical principles, exploring ‘lust and gluttony’. Visually, the work will reference perfume commercials; lucid, seductive and surreal. Using adverts as a starting point to explore psychological tactics and persuasion, the work will explore ‘unmet desire’.

Adam wishes to look at restrictions inlaid in art and society; “Being from the disability sector, there are expectations of what art has to be… Expectations of what I should be as an artist who identifies with disability, and my own personal-self and are sometimes adverse to each other. I want to challenge people’s expectations”.

Adam feels Liam Benson is a fitting match to expand upon his performance skills; focusing on ‘the camera’, concept, movement and audience. Employing existing personally-designed tarot cards and costumes, Adam will create new props featuring motifs of bones and teeth of human and animal forms, phallic symbols and internal organs.

The result of Adam's residency will be presented as part of Queer Nu Werk, July 20 & 21 (6:00pm - 10:00pm) at PACT Centre for Emerging Artists