MATERIALISING FEMINISM: OBJECT AND INTERVAL Caroline Phillips ORCID ID: 0000-0002-9748-9097 Doctor of Philosophy January, 2017 University of Melbourne Faculty of the Victorian College of the Arts and Melbourne Conservatorium of Music This thesis is submitted in partial fulfilment of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Abstract This practice-led research upholds a view of sexual difference as a mutable field constituted in relations between materiality, subject positions and the situated conditions of feminism. It considers multiple and different subjects as equivalent, in a framework of ethical relations across the divide between the feminine and the masculine. This contested binary, previously operating as a negative and oppositional framework, is now radically affirmed as a generative and affirmative topology of difference and relation. Drawing on Luce Irigaray’s framework of the interval of sexual difference, the research locates relations of difference and connection within the generative space, place and threshold of the interval. Modes of making manifest these relations through a material-discursive practice, rendered via collaborative curatorial projects and art objects. Through this work sexual difference is repositioned as non-hierarchical and non-oppositional, whilst the affirmation of this binary through the interval situates identity through relations. The reconfiguration of sexual difference through the interval extends the possibilities for feminist art via its affirmative and productive new strategies for practice. 3 4 Declaration (i) this thesis comprises only my original work towards the Doctor of Philosophy except where indicated (ii) due acknowledgement has been made in the text to all other material used (iii) this thesis is fewer than the maximum word limit in length, exclusive of bibliography and appendices Signed by: Caroline Phillips Caroline Phillips, January, 2017 5 6 Acknowledgements This PhD research has evolved through the organic and affirmative participation of a very generous - in size and spirit - network of people. To varying degrees, and at different stages of the research, a vast range of artists, academics, educators, curators, students, industry practitioners and supporters have contributed to this work. Ideas, images, knowledge, advice and action have emerged and transpired between us. Although it may be lengthy I list everyone here in full, in thematic groupings, in order to acknowledge their individual and combined energy, knowledge, commitment, inspiration, talent and support. Many names appear in more than one context, a testament to the dynamic and reciprocal relationships that developed within and around this research, and embodying the relational methodology of the research throughout the work. My art practice is a legacy of those who have gone before me. I am humbled and immensely grateful to all those who made this PhD a creative, surprising, inspiring, eventful and intelligible journey. University of Melbourne and Victorian College of the Arts – Supervisors and Advisory panel: Prof Barbara Bolt, Dr Elizabeth Gower, Dr Bernhard Sachs and Dr Kate Just; VCA Matters of the Body Research Cluster: Dr Alyson Campbell, Tonié Field, Dr Sarah French, Dr Kate Just, Dr Kim Donaldson and Dr Katve-Kaisa Kontturi; Staff and peers: Dr Kate Daw, Jan Murray, Prof Su Baker, Dr Toby Juliff, Dr Louise Burchill, Margaret Lawrence Gallery, Vikki McInnes, Kay Abude, Scott Miles, Georgina Binns and the staff at the Lenton Parr Music, Visual and Performing Arts Library, staff at the VCA Research Office, Katy Greenland, Kylie White, Beth Arnold, Mark Friedlander, Dr Sophie Knezic, Jessica Kritzer, Rebekah Pryor, Grace Pundyk, Kerrie Poliness, Elmedin Zunic, Su Yang, Julia Boros, Tal Fitzpatrick, Jaye Early, Katie Edwards, Julie Shiels, Travis Cox, Simone Hine, Prof Anne Marsh; Other University support: 7 Graduate Students Association (GSA), University of Melbourne Student Union (UMSU), Meredith McCullough, funding support via Melbourne Social Equity Institute (MSEI), POTS (Prestigious Overseas Travelling Scholarship), Faculty Small Grant Scheme and Conference and Creative Research Activity Fund; MSEI Doctoral Academy: Prof Julie McLeod, Charlene Hu Ming Edwards, Gary Dickson, Gemma McGibbon, Sophie Rudolph, Hayley Henderson, Cherry Hense A Dinner Party: setting the table - West Space, Dr Victoria Duckett, National Film and Sound Archive, VCA School of Film and Television, Otherfilm, Danni Zuvela, Jon Dale, Marco Her- Gibard, Marcia Jane, Virgina Fraser, Joan Grounds, Aleks Danko, Alice Anne Parker, Margot Nash, Robin Laurie, Joy Hirst and Ben Ford at the Sue Ford Archive, Frameline, Sharon Hennessey, Mark Anstey, John Knoop, Stephanie Alexander, Hana Assafiri and the Moroccan Soup Bar, Victoria Bennett, Laura Castagnini, Catherine Deveny, Dr Kate MacNeill, Prof Anne Marsh, Dr Juliette Peers, Inez de Vega, Lyndal Walker, Dr Kate just, Melanie Irwin, Catherine Evans, Andrew Curtis, Maggie Brown, Karen Rose, Kelly Fliedner, Cherie Schweitzer, Penny Byrne, Janice Gobey, Clare Rae, Kate Beynon, Danny Lacy, Dr Catriona Moore The f Word project – Project development: The Melbourne Social Equity Institute, Charlene Hu Ming Edwards, Prof Julie McLeod, Kathleen Patterson, Gary Dickson, Dr Deborah Warr, Prof Barb Bolt, Dr Kate Just, Assoc Prof Kate MacNeill, Dr Karen Burns, Katy Greenland, VCA Matters of the Body Research Cluster, Mary Crooks and the Victorian Women’s Trust, Creative Victoria, Dean Linguey, Dr Carolyn Barnes, Dr Louise Burchill, Virginia Fraser, GSA Print Room, Kerrie Poliness; Regional Feminist Art Forum: La Trobe Visual Art Centre Bendigo, Filomena Coppola, Dr Juliette Peers, Inez de Vega; The f Word Sale: Gippsland Art Gallery Sale, Simon Gregg, Lindsay Roberts, Bin Dixon-Ward, City of Yarra, Jenny Port Gallery, Catherine Bell, Penny Byrne, Dr Kate Just, Jill Orr, Clare Rae, Elvis Richardson; The f 8 Word Ararat: Ararat Regional Art Gallery, Anthony Camm, Jordan Maranie, Delphine Laboureau-Ormancey, Giselle Wilkinson, Jo Massey, Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery, Sutton Gallery, Kate Beynon, Karen Buczynski-Lee, Destiny Deacon, Laurene Dietrich, Eliza-Jane Gilchrist, Janice Gobey, Georgia MacGuire, Estate of Robyn Massey, Louise Saxton, Inez de Vega, Lyndal Walker; Technopia Tours Feminist Art Bus: Dr Kim Donaldson, Technopia Tours, Kerrie Poliness, Sandra Radovini, City of Melbourne, Daine Singer Gallery, Driver Bus Co., Travis John, Inez de Vega, Susan Hewitt, Penelope Lee, Assoc Prof Lyndal Jones, Vicki Kinai, Dot Kett, Laura Castagnini, Justine Makdessi, Nat Thomas, Elvis Richardson, Ebony Gulliver, Kalinda Vary, Dr Kate Just, Kate Robertson; Topologies of Sexual Difference - Dr Louise Burchill, Luce Irigaray Circle, Prof Mary Rawlinson, Stony Brook University, Prof Gail Schwab, Hofstra University, Dr Rebecca Hill, The Communication, Politics and Culture Research Centre at RMIT University, Nanette Bold, Prof Su Baker, Katy Greenland, VCA Matters of the Body Research Cluster, Creative Victoria, George Paton Gallery, Sandra Bridie, Victoria Bennett, Susan Hewitt, UMSU Arts and Entertainment, Dinkums Printing, AV@Melbourne, Karen Buczynski-Lee, Bon Mott, Tania Smith, Cherelyn Brearley, Janet Burchill, Virginia Fraser, Marina Kassianidou, Utako Shindo Kanai, Danielle McCarthy, Joanne Makas, Alex Martinis Roe, Kerrie Poliness, Dr Elizabeth Presa, Dr Julieanna Preston, Grace Pundyk, Dr Jacqueline Taylor, Terry Taylor, Alison Thomson f generation: feminism, art, progressions – Project development: Dr Juliette Peers, Dr Veronica Caven Aldous, Bonnie Leah-Dodds, Bella Vadiveloo, Mudfest (UMSU Arts Festival), UMSU Wom*n’s Dept, UMSU Creative Arts Grant, UMSU Arts Lab, Susan Hewitt, Sandra Bridie, Alice Mathieu, George Paton Gallery, VCA Matters of the Body Research Cluster, Georgina Ward and the University of Melbourne Archives, Lucy Lippard, Women’s Art 9 Register, FAC (Femininst Art Conference) Toronto, OCAD University Toronto; Mudfest Forum: Sasha Chong, Allison Ballantyne, Lucy Curtis, Dr Elizabeth Gower, Tania Smith, Tonié Field, Kalinda Vary, Richard Aldous; Exhibition installation, launch and special events: Jessica Kritzer, Filomena Coppola, Kay Rozynski and the Writing the Visual Arts project group (School of Culture and Communication, University of Melbourne), Julia Maquet, Sunday Sommerfeld, Bridget Gilmartin, Kiara Lindsay, Cuntamponary Art Collective, Kate Smith, Danielle McCarthy, Christina Green, Natalie Thomas; the 96 artists whose work was shown in this exhibition (see Appendix C for full list) AS IF: Echoes of the Women’s Art Register - Project development: AS IF: 40 Years & Beyond festival committee, Women’s Art Register committee, Dr Sally Northfield, City of Yarra, Richmond Library, Melbourne Fringe; Curatorium: Stephanie Leigh, Dr Juliette Peers, Emily Castle, Kalinda Vary, Danielle Hakim; Exhibition and associated events: West Space, Patrice Sharkey, Liang Luscombe, Christina Apostolidis, Amanda Hensby, Annabelle Kingston, Meredith Rogers, Isabel Davies, Anna Sande, Laura Castagnini, Holly Ingleton, Eric Demetriou, Sanja Pahoki, Makiko Yamamoto, Christo Crocker, SLIDENIGHT, Eleanor Butt, Ross Coulter, Dr Elizabeth Gower, Prof Anne Marsh, Jill Orr, Clare Rae, Danica Chappell, UMSU, George Paton Gallery, State Library of Victoria; the 174 artists whose work was shown in this exhibition (see Appendix C for full list) Additional exhibitions, residencies, funding support, artists, curators and writers - Australian Postgraduate Award for PhD Research; The Living Museum of the West, Kerrie