Registration for Workshop and Masterclass:

Anyone wishing to attend the Workshop and/ or Masterclass should send an Expression of Interest (max 400 words) to Professor Kirsten Ainley at Kirsten.ainley@anu.edu.au.

EOIs should include details of why you wish to attend, whether you want to attend the Workshop and/or the Masterclass, and whether you require funding for travel and accommodation. Limited funds are available to support applicants from outside Canberra, and applicants will be prioritised according to EOI and need.

Applications are particularly encouraged from early career researchers, artists and activists. Successful applicants will be notified by latest 22 July.

Deadline for Expressions of Interest: 5pm, Friday 12 July 2024

Workshop: Using Arts-based Methods for Feminist Research in Precarious Contexts. Venue: NFSA
Facilitators: Professor Neloufer de Mel, Ruhanie Perera and Kamala Vasuki
Date: 8 August 9:30 AM – 5PM

This in-depth workshop will draw on methods and reflections that led to the video installation Now You Must Bear Witness to discuss artistic practice in feminist research in precarious contexts and conflict zones. The workshop will include sessions on ‘Feminist Ethics and the Politics of Representation’, and on ‘Telling Stories: The Practice of Identity and Imagination’. There will be a practical component to the workshop, using techniques from art and theatre, and time to reflect on practice. The workshop will also include a film screening of Visakesa Chandrasekaram’s ‘Journey’, followed by a Q&A with the Director. The workshop will bring together academics, artists and activists to consider the ways in which arts-based practice can support feminist research.

Masterclass: The Cinematic Interpretation of Trauma: Film Making in Conflict Zones. Venue: NFSA.
Facilitator: Visakesa Chandrasekaram, Film Director
Date: 9 August 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM

Drawing examples from the audio-visual content of the ‘Journey’ film essay and the video installation ‘Now You Must Bear Witness’, this masterclass will explore ideas on content development, taking a gender-sensitive approach. Focusing on the verbal and non-verbal narratives of the survivors of gender-based conflict related violence, the workshop will also investigate the process of ethical translation of individual narratives into sound and screen-based materials, identifying multiple research and practice tools. The masterclass also offers an opportunity for the participants to discuss their project ideas with the facilitator, either in a group setting or at an individual meeting. Those who are seeking to discuss their own film-making projects with Chandrasekaram will be asked to email a summary of their project before 5 August 2024.