Each task in Leena’s ‘Body Information Workshops’ originated through self exploration and private experimentation before Leena completed the task with other people. Leena’s works in ‘Making it easier’ consider the personal process she uses to develop the workshop tasks.
‘Body Information Workshops’, is an ongoing project where Leena hosts one-on-one and group activities which promote body exploration through mutual experience shared between herself and each participant.
Workshop tasks have included ‘Fitting into yourself’ which demonstrated ways parts of the body can fit into others parts of the body. ‘Brush each other’s teeth at the same time’ was an act of mutual care and trust, involving atypically communal grooming. ‘Describe a positive feeling’ was an opportunity for participants to record a description of a positive experience, and keep a copy for future reflection. ‘Observe each other’ involves Leena and the participant sitting directly in front of each other and silently writing observations about the other person.
Leena has worked predominantly within performance and video for several years, guiding people through ways to explore their bodies, and reflect on their experiences.
Leena hosted Body Information Workshops at Boxcopy (QLD) in 2016, and at The Walls (QLD) in 2015, as part of Liquid Architecture’s FM[X] What Would A Feminist Methodology Sound Like? program (QLD/NSW/Vic). Also in 2015, Leena showed with Channels Festival (Vic). Leena has exhibited at Metro Arts (QLD), Canberra Contemporary Art Space (ACT), Constance ARI (Tas), and performed at the MCA Art Bar (NSW). She completed a residency with LEVEL ARI and was a finalist in the Churchie National Emerging Art Prize in 2013. Leena has a BFA (Hons) and graduated from Queensland College of Art, Griffith University in 2012.
Words by Caitlin Franzmann
6:30pm – 9:30pm
55 Whynot Street West End
Cut Thumb ARI.
