As Performance Space moves towards its 30th birthday, the Ghosts of Directors Past have descended on Carriageworks for twelve days of horror and history. At least, this is what I imagined would be on offer as part of You’re History: The Directors’ Cuts, a name that simply screams education and bloodshed. After talking with co-director Bec Dean however, it seems the reality is far less frightening. With a program featuring nine former artistic directors showcasing live art, music, performance installations, conversation and a petting zoo, Dean reflects on why she has the best job in the world.
Adam Norris: Afternoon Bec! So you’re a writer who trained as a visual artist, moved into curatorship, and now co-direct Performance Space. Have you ever worried that with your own creative background, you won’t be an impartial judge when it comes to programming other artists?
Bec Dean: Good question. I was practising for quite a long time after I finished university – basically right up until the moment I moved to Sydney from Perth and found myself quite isolated from the community that I’d worked in for so long. For a long time I’d struggled with my own practice, and quite frankly, I was growing more interested in other people’s work. So after a few stressful months, I decided it was ok not to be a practising artist anymore. It ended up being such a happy transition, and I’ve never really looked back. Other people’s work really excites me. I’m a facilitator, an enabler, and that’s what I do really well.
AN: I was always a little suspicious of those who seemed to legitimately enjoy promoting the work of others and not creating anything of their own. The more people I meet in curatorial roles, though, the more I see how rewarding these positions are.
BD: I find it enormously rewarding. Also the fact that I’m interested in so many different artistic things – it’s really impossible to do that sheer number of things yourself, you know? And there are amazing people out there doing that work, and such exciting artists working right here in Sydney, that even as a spectator it’ll keep you satisfied for years and years. That’s the wonderful thing about working at Performance Space. I’ve had my eyes opened to everything and it’s such a rewarding place to be in.
AN: For Performance Space’s 30th anniversary celebrations, you’ve co-directed You’re History! The Directors’ Cuts. What can we expect from the program?
BD: We invited each of the former directors to curate a night and we didn’t want to be proscriptive about what exactly we wanted from them. Each of them has come back to us with very different programs. We decided to run it as last director first, so Daniel Brine kicks off opening night and we finish with Mike Mullins, the founding director. It’s going to be a pretty exciting program. We’re also working with our wonderful curatorial assistant, Tulleah Pearce. She’s doing all the hard yakka.
AN: What I find interesting is in the name, You’re History – you are history. I’ve always found the relationship between production and audience is almost as compelling as the actual content. Does Performance Space feel the same?
BD: You know, Performance Space is almost its own entity because of the various people who hold its history, the people who are invested in its present and future. That’s what we really wanted to honour, and it’s not only the artists and directors. It’s also our audience, this growing community of active participants. We wanted it to be as much about the audience experience of remembering Performance Space, of owning it and inhabiting it. That was really important to us. All of these people are still potent forces here, in our history, our future. That’s one of the things we want to respect.
The Directors’ Cuts presents at Performance Space, Carriageworks from November 20-30.
