I Just Work Here is a series of performances in urban and rural spaces. These performances are informed by my work experiences in various locations and environments, as well as my bi-class background. The character I embody for the series is a caricature of the workingwoman, a feminine persona that I have donned for some of my jobs, especially as a woman in the tech industry. Often, her office attire is a stark contrast to the landscape in which the performance occurs. This character has a controlled sexiness that gives her some power by playing into stereotypical gender-roles and satisfying the male gaze. The character performs repetitive, physically intense labor and her labor yields no product. In a larger sense, I Just Work Here raises questions about what work is.
This project has been exhibited at the Joslyn Museum of Art and the Elder Gallery at Nebraska Wesleyan University. The Elder Gallery exhibition included photographs, photomontage works, video and a series of public interactions on mindfulness, work and gender performance. The public events were hosted and attended by myself as well as various community members including Molly Zuckerman-Hartung, Amanda Breitbach and Dr. Gerise Herndon. Images from the exhibition are below.
