Ira Ferris

Website: Artemis Projects | Portfolio

Email: i.ferris@unsw.edu.au

Supervisors: Rochelle Haley, Clare Britton

I am a dance and multimedia artist and writer, born in Yugoslavia (Croatia) and based in Eora (Sydney) since 2007. My previous education is an MA in Journalism (University of Zagreb) and a BA in Art History (University of Sydney).

I produce and host “Arts Monday: Sympoiesis” on Eastside Radio 89.7FM. I have worked as a research assistant for the UNSW research network ‘Dance Archives and the Museum’. Prior to that, I’ve worked as a Producer at Critical Path choreographic research centre, Events and Communications Coordinator at the Power Institute (University of Sydney), and Conference Project Manager for AAANZ 2021.

As a performer, I am interested in improvised, site-specific and durational practices. I have made works that attempt to rip open the Western concept of time, expose the tyranny of the clock, and consider the socio-environmental consequences of speed and non-stop production. Our relationship to TIME is an ongoing and sustaining interest. I have performed at Wentworth Galleries, the Corridor project’s ERTHWRX, Draw Space, Inner West EDGE, Articulate, ESCAC, Benalla Art Gallery, etc.

My research contributes to the field of dance performance archiving. Specifically, the new experimental approaches to archiving site- and time-specific improvised dance performances. It advocates for artist-led archives and the capacity of audio-visual media to transmit the multi-sensorial, somatic, kinaesthetic and temporal experience of dance performance.