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Reimagining Work: Poietic Practices of Invisible Labour

Clio Van Aerde

2022-2024

The thesis examines functional movement within invisible
unskilled labour by juxtaposing politics and sociologies of
work, Feminist and Queer Theory, Material Engagement
Theory and Expanded Choreography. It explores capitalism’s
impact on the polysemy of work and its systemic issues within
Western European, late capitalist society, drawing parallels
between precariousness and invisibility in both artistic and
manual labour. More specifically, it aims to uncover poetic
and subversive practices to reimagine work through fostering
allyship as an attitude and mode of production between
artistic and manual labour. It challenges the established
notion of work and its institutional codes by highlighting the
overlooked, yet essential labour needed to sustain today’s
standards of life. The research is grounded on the hypothesis
that if invisible, unskilled labour were to acquire (more)
visibility, recognition and social valorisation, the capitalist
paradigm could be overthrown and work reimagined.

The context of this practice as research arises from the
researcher’s background as a scenographer and performance
artist. The chosen fields elaborate on work as a performative
act, on poiesis, on functional movement and on material
engagement. The research employs the methods and
practices of sweeping, rhizomatic engagement with a broom,
allyship, aurality, field research and interviews.

By investigating the socio-political, cultural and physical
uses of the broom as a tool, it emerges as an epistemic
object highlighting and elevating the significance of invisible
labour. The objectives of the research were to raise critical
awareness among performing arts audiences of hidden
manual labour sustaining (artistic) production, foster a
practice of genuine dialogue and mutual interest recognition
between the researcher and manual workers and critically
(self-)reflect on class appropriation. Through choreography
and performance-making, the research outcome highlights
invisible manual labour within the Black Box theatre context.

Further, the research contributes to an individual and
collective reconfiguration of the established notion of work,
initiating a process towards a sustainable, solidaristic and
empowering future of labour. Lastly, it challenges current
alienation from the material world by exploring functional
movement as a way of thinking and moving with and through
tools, acknowledging and reconsidering their use and
production and the hidden labour related to them.

Supervisor: Astarti Athanasiadou External Mentor: Lucie Strecker

Keywords: Invisible, unskilled labour, reimagining work, poiesis, allyship, manual labour, artistic labour, expanded choreography, material engagement

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