‘The Captivate project seeks to activate and animate the wild nature from within the tamed through sculpture, puppetry, performance, dance and video. The work aims to demonstrate and highlight the moment of transformation, where the natural and artificial, the body and architecture combine to become a new form, or creature. Man-made habitats endeavour to re-enact the ‘wild’ or the ‘natural’ for the benefit of conservation, education and entertainment. As spectators we desire to witness the authentic scene. However physical entrapment inevitably affects the internal and external state of being, altering behaviour, growth and interaction, all the while distorting natural observation.’
Laura Purcell
Laura Purcell practices across the disciplines of performance, puppetry, visual art, dance and video. My enquiries are about identity, human and non-human animal connections and place. I have a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Honours) – 2010 and Bachelor of Performing Arts (Theatre) – 2007. From 2004-2010 I was a puppeteer for Terrapin Puppet Theatre. I have been training in the Space Dance course (Salamanca Arts Centre) since 2013. In 2014 I received a HyPe Creative Shot and created performative artworks including a video work ‘Portrait of Cynthia’ (Space Dance Showcase), a video installation ‘Desirous’ (Constance Gallery, Space Dance Showcase) and photographic series FacePOP (mentored and captured by Sandi Sissel and Kelly Drummond Cawthon). I received a scholarship to attend the Eugene O’Neill National Puppetry Conference 2014 (USA), where I created a short performance piece ‘What’s the time Mr Wolf?’ and co-devised new ensemble puppetry work under the guidance and direction of Alice Gottschalk and Raphael Mürle (Germany). Through Tasmania Performs in 2014 I have participated in their Blue Cow devising workshops and their recent artist residency at Tarraleah, connecting with mentors and local artists.