Virginia BARRATT
BIO
Virginia Barratt is a writer experimental poet performer and academic. Since 1992 Virginia has been an active participant and collaborator in the Australian and International ARI sector. In 2015, she began a doctoral candidature with the Writing and Society Research Centre at the University of Western Sydney.
Art Practice Keywords:
Digital Media, Video Art, Installation Art, Poet
Artist Role Keywords:
Visual Artist
Collaboration/ Collaborator names Keywords:
Qld Artworkers Union, John Mills National, Jewel Palace, InterFace
Collections
University of Queensland Art Museum, Brisbane
Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane
Various Private Collections
CV
Please Note:
Between 1991 And 1997 I Worked Full Time With The Cyberfeminist Art Collective Vns Matrix. I Have Not Included These Works In My Personal Resume. A Full Resume Of The Work Of Vns Matrix Is Available Upon Request. The Collective Was Producing Work, Exhibiting, Presenting Lectures And Publishing Internationally Between 1991-1996.
The Work Of Vns Matrix Was Foundational To The Cyberfeminist Movement And Continues To Be Relevant Today For Feminist Scholars And Scholars Of Technology And Society, Culture, Politics And Philosophy.
“These works are important not only in and of themselves but also as markers for the tidal shifts in thinking about women and technological spaces. As iconic texts of the cyberfeminist moment of the 1990s, these … works help establish not only the context of that decade – one that sought desperately not to be defined – but also go some way towards recovering an understanding of that genre and that term. Now as the use of the prefix ‘cyber’ has declined in humanities disciplines in favour of ‘digital,’ we see a complementary return to the word “cyberfeminism,” as evinced in Radhika Gajjala’s and Yeon Ju Oh’s 2012 edited collection titled Cyberfeminism 2.0 “1
1 Barnett, Tully. “Monstrous Agents: Cyberfeminist Media and Activism” ADA, A Journal of Gender, New Media and Technology 5 (July 2014). http://adanewmedia.org/2014/07/issue5-barnett/
Tertiary Education and Qualifications
PhD Candidate, Writing and Society Centre, School of Humanities and
Communication Arts, University of Western Sydney, Sydney, 2015
- Awarded APA scholarship
Bachelor of Arts with Honours (Composite Thesis), Southern Cross University, Lismore, 2009-2013
BA Major in Media and Creative writing with electives in Cultural Studies
- Graduated with first class honours
- Awarded SASS scholarship
RYS 500 (yoga), ISHTA yoga teacher training, Belongil, NSW, 2007
Diploma of Perf. Arts, Darling Downs Institute of Advanced Education (DDIAE), 1977-1980 (incomplete)
Grants, Awards and Prizes
SASS Scholarship (Hons), School of Arts and Social Sciences, Southern Cross University, 2012
Best Local Film, Queer Fruits Film Festival, Lismore, 2011
Best Film, Perv Queerotic Film Festival, Sydney, 2011
Project Funding, New Media Board, Australia Council for CrosseXXXaminations exhibition, Artspace, Sydney, 1998
Development Funding (w/ Dr Zoe Sofia), Literature Board, Australia Council, for Double Agents manuscript, 1995
Development Funding (w/ Dr Zoe Sofia), Art Research and Development Fund, Australian
Network for Art and Technology for Double Agents manuscript, 1993 Project Funding, Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Exhibition
Funding for group exhibition Mapping Difference
Artists Overseas Development Grant, Visual Arts and Crafts Board of the Australia Council toward overseas travel to America and Europe to research performance practice and to present performances in New York and London, 1990
Premier’s Arts Encouragement Awards, Qld Premier’s Arts Department to enable attendance at the First National Summer School in Computer Aided Art, Design and Manufacture, 1989
Selected Publications:
Blind refereed:
Barratt, Virginia. Forthcoming 2015. “SLICE,” Stein and Wilde. Ebook
Barratt, Virginia. Forthcoming 2015. “Monstering the Logos Eros,” in
Writing From Below.
Melboure: Contamination From Above. 2, no. 2 (2015)
Barratt, Virginia. Forthcoming 2015. “SkipToEnd,” in Writing From
Below. Melboure:
Contamination From Above. 2, no. 2 (2015)
Cultural Commentary:
Addison-Smith, Helen and Virginia Barratt. “How Vice Made Tabloid Journalism Cool.” Spook Magazine October (2014). http://www.spookmagazine.com/how-vicemedia-
madetabloidjournalism-cool/
Addison-Smith, Helen and Virginia Barratt. “Vice and the Suicide Emergency.” Overland
Literary Journal. July (2013) https://overland.org.au/2013/07/and-thesincerityemergency/
Anthologies:
Barratt, Virginia. 2015. “Driveby,” in Coastlines 5: An Anthology of Creative Writing, edited by Coastlines 5 Production Team. Lismore: School of Arts and Social Sciences, Southern Cross University.
Barratt, Virginia. 2013. “She is a Boy,” in Mud map: Australian women’s
experimental writing, Special Issue, Text Journal Website series no. 1 (2013) edited by Moya Costello,
Barbara Brooks, Anna Gibbs and Rosslyn Prosser. ISSN: 1327-9556
http://www.textjournal.com.au/speciss/issue17/content.htm
Barratt, Virginia. “Luke.” in Banquet 2012, edited by Carson and Dettori,
23-29. Melbourne: Banquet Press, 2012. ISBN: 978-0-646-56879-9
Barratt, Virginia. “verbiage very thinly sliced and plated up real nice.” in
Banquet 2012, edited by Carson and Dettori, 23-55. Melbourne: Banquet Press, 2012. ISBN: 978-0-646-56879-9
Barratt, Virginia. “The Bleeding Sprawl of Her.” in Banquet 2012, edited
by Carson and Dettori, 115-117. Melbourne: Banquet Press, 2012. ISBN: 978-0-646-56879-9
Older Journal Articles and Art Writing:
Barratt, Virginia. “Black Holes,” Geekgirl Magazine July Issue (1996). No longer available online
Barratt, Virginia. “X,” Agenda 30/31 (1993). No longer in print, available
at the National Library of Australia. ISSN: 1033-1115
Barratt, Virginia. “Curator’s Statement,” Tekno Viscera. Fortitude Valley
Qld: Institute of Modern Art, 1993. ISBN-13: 9781875792030 ISBN-10: 1875792031
Barratt, Virginia. “Lyndal Jones,” Broadsheet 20, no. 2 (1991). ISSN: 0819-677X
Barratt, Virginia. “Heroines” & “Linda Lou’”, atists double page liftout,
Broadsheet 20, no. 3 (1991)
Barratt, Virginia. “Linda/Lou,” Otis rush : new writing, new art & reviews
#6. North Adelaide: Experimental Art Foundation, 1991: 102-104. ISSN: 0819-7288
Barratt, Virginia. “Untitled,” Otis rush : new writing, new art & reviews
#6. North Adelaide: Experimental Art Foundation, 1991: 100-101. ISSN: 0819- 7288
Barratt, Virginia. “Lyndal Jones: Prediction Piece 6: Pipe Dreaming
(Installation 2),” Eyeline 8 (March,1989). ISSN: 0818-8734
Writings for Performance, Commissoned Text:
SEEP, performance texts, TILT Symposium, Artspace, Sydney, Tess De Quincy Co
Form of Scent, performance texts, Performance Space, Sydney and
University of NSW, Sydney, Tess De Quincy Co
Various commissioned texts for artists books for Julie Barratt.
Selected Bibliography
Gibbs, Anna. “Mycelial Dreamings at Cementa 15,” Southerly Journal,
17 Apr (2015). http://southerlyjournal.com.au/2015/04/17/mycelial-dreamings-atcementa15/
Cleland, Kathy. “The Body Interrogated,” realtime 24 (1998). http://www.realtimearts.net/article/24/4176
Britton, Stephanie. “Image Bank: The Feminist Project,” Artlink 14, no. 1 (1994): 35-86
Broker, David. “Infiltrate,” Review of “Infiltrate” exhibition CACSA, Broadsheet 22, no. 1 (1993).
Flynn, Bernadette. “VNS Matrix and Virginia Barratt interviewed by Bernadette Flynn,”
Continuum: Journal of Media and Cultural Studies 8, no.1 (1994): 419–432.
Hessey, Ruth. “Sound and Visionaries,” Sydney Morning Herald, Good Weekend, November 7, 1992
Lumby, Catharine. “Uncertainly Thinking,” Review of “Blink” exhibition
CACSA, Artlink 12, no. 3 (1992)
Pears, Lisa. ‘Virginia Barratt: HYSTERIC’, Temper Magazine 1 (1992)
Radock, Stephanie. “Secular Mysteries,” Review of “Possessed” exhibition Bullring Jam Factory, Artlink 11, no. 4 (1991)
Keneally, Catherine. “The House of Fun,” Review of “Possessed” exhibition Bullring Jam Factory, Broadsheet 20 no. 4 (1991)
Litson, Jo. “Smart Arts, Movers and Shakers,” The Australian Magazine, October 6-7 1990
Steffenson, Jyanni. “The Body, Language and Not So, Poor Maryanne,” Review of “Body,
Use and Value” exhibition, Broadsheet 19, no. 2 (1989)
Szulakowska, Urszula. “Movement and Changing Multiplicities”,
Spectator Burns: Journal of Performance Art Theory 3 (1989): 29 – 38.
Szulakowska, Urszula. “Points of Intensity, Overcoding, Computers and Dance,” Praxis M no. 22 (1989)
Moses, David. “Work-To-Screen: Projecting Performance,” Eyeline 7 (1988)
Younger, Jay. “Interview with Virginia Barratt,” Eyeline 4 (1988)
Follent, Sarah. “Brisbane Review,” Art and Australia 25 no. 4 (1988)
Szulakowska, Urszula. ‘Virginia Barratt: The Lethal Stage,” Eyeline 3 (1987)
Conference Presentations and Guest Lectures
(Upcoming 2015) Barratt V and da Rimini F, headline speakers, The
Cyborg, Disruption Network Lab, Berlin, 30th May 2015
(Upcoming 2015) Barratt V and da Rimini F, headline speakers, The
CLICK Festival of Arts, Science and Technology Futures, Culture Yard, Helsingør, Denmark 14 – 17 May 2015
Panel Chair, “Sneaking up on the Thing Itself: Practical Approaches to Infinitude”, Aesthetics After Finitude, National Institute for Experimental Arts, UNSW Art and Design, Sydney February 2015
Experimental Writing Panel, with Moya Costello and Anna Gibbs, Gold Coast Writers Festival, July 2014
Funding for New Media, lecture and clinic, Screenworks, Byron Bay, 2004
Barratt V & Martin F, “The Politics of Algorithms,” Paper presented at
UTE, Cultural Studies Association Australia Conference, University of Melbourne, 2002
Cyberfeminism and VNS MATRIX, guest lecture for Learning Technologies and the Academy, School of Humanities, Media and Cultural Studies, Southern Cross University 2002
Cyberfeminism, guest lecture, School of Humanities, University of Western Sydney, 2000
CrosseXXXaminations, Artist’s Talk, Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, 1998
Panellist, Queer Zone for the Visualities Artists Forum, Artspace, Sydney,
“Black Holes in Cyberspace,” Paper presented at Women on the Verge of New Technologies Conference, Perth 1997
“Remapping Cyberspace with a Feminist Bent,” Paper presented at the Women Writing: Views & Prospects 1975-1995 Conference, National Library of Australia, Canberra, 1995
Barratt, V and Sofoulis, Z. “Women Remapping Technospace,” Paper presented at the 5th Interntional Symposium on Electronic Art, Groningen, 1994
Forum Speaker, “Occupied Zones,” Conference on Electronic Art, Performance Space, 1992
Panel Convenor, “Virtual Corporeality,” Adelaide Festival of the Arts, 1992
Forum Panellist, “Women, Technology and Cultural Power,” at In(ter)ventions Feminism and Performance Conference, Performance Space, Sydney, 1988
Forum Panellist, Work-To-Screen (Projecting Performance), Qld College of Art, 1988
Forum Panellist, “Performance Spaces: Funding and Survival,” Woop Woop National Performance Conference, Adelaide, 1987
Artist-in-Residence
Artspace, Sydney, 1998. For the project “CrosseXXXaminations,”, joint project with Beth Stryker. Director: Nicholas Tsoutas.
Selected Group Exhibitions
(Upcoming 2015) Barratt V and da Rimini F, installation, sound + video
works, wall works and zines, The CLICK Festival of Arts, Science and Technology Futures, Culture Yard, Helsingør, Denmark 14 – 17 May 2015
“Notes Towards a Future Feminist Archive,” Curated by Bronia Iwanczak, 1 work, Affilliated Text, 33 Rosslyn Street, Sydney, March 2015
“The Hanky Project,” Curated by Julie Barratt, 1 work, Napier Gallery, Melbourne; Grafton Regional Gallery, Grafton; Barratt Galleries, Alstonville, 2010-2011
“Didactic: Wall Writing,” Curated by Shelagh Morgan: Director, 1 work, NextArt, Southern Cross University Gallery, Lismore, 2011
“Gay+Lesbian Anti Violence Project Exhibition,” Phatspace, Sydney, 2001
“CrosseXXXaminations,” project, exhibition and performance, Artspace, Sydney, 1998. Director: Nicholas Tsoutas, supported by the Visual Arts Board of the Australia Council
“Mapping Difference”, First Draft West, Sydney, 1993
“Blink,” Contemporary Art Centre of South Australia, Adelaide 1991. Director: David O’Halloran
“Postiche,” Club Foote, Adelaide, 1991
“Possessed,” The Bullring Gallery, Jam Factory, Adelaide 1991
“Cy Mish Mash World,” Ealaine Gallery, Melbourne, 1990
“Body Use and Value,” Club Foote, Adelaide, 1990
“Bureau Group Exhibition,” Bureau Art Space, Brisbane, 1988
“AXIS-FILE: Sites of Disclosure,” Various public sites, New York; Arch Lane Public Art,
Brisbane; Qld Cultural Centre, Brisbane ,1988
“Belles Letters,” John Mills National, Brisbane, 1988
“Andrew Warhola Memorial Show,” Memorial Arch, Brisbane 1987 Performances and Readings
(Upcoming 2015) Barratt V and da Rimini F w Neha Spellfish, “the
oracle of drones”Transmétic”, Lewisham Arthouse, London, 22nd May 2015
Cryptocrystalline: Technomancy (divination) GOLD: Performative
reading, Cementa 15, Kandos, NSW 13th April 2015
“Dis(re)membering the Corpus”, poetry reading, Aesthetics After
Finitude, National Institute for Experimental Arts, UNSW Art and Design, Sydney February 2015
“Wear the Wild Words,” a night of readings and wearable art, curated
by Dr. Moya Costello and Denise Rall, Lismore, 2013
Reading, Launch of “Text Journal Special Issue,” Berkelouw Books, Sydney, 2013
“ID runners at Artspace,” Live sound/video/computer mixing performance, Artspace, Sydney 2001
“@GetGen,” Performance Night, Artspace, Sydney, 1999
“Crossexxxaminations,” Artspace, Sydney, 1998
“Gothic Toxic,” Ms Wicked Melbourne, Prince of Wales Hotel, 1993
“Hysteric,” Surrealist Conference, Art Gallery of New South Wales, 1993
“X,” Performance with Catherine Fargher, Performance Space, Sydney, 1992
“X/Invert,” Institute of Modern Art, Brisbane, 1992
“Hysteric,” Experimenta Conference, Melbourne, 1992
“Rupture,” Performance/Video event, Club Foote, Adelaide, 1991
“Unbearable,” Heptad Heresies performance event, Experimental Art Foundation, Adelaide, 1991
“Fracture,” Gargoyle Mechanique Laboratory, New York and The Ark, London 1991
“Amerika, Amerika,” performer, music video clip, produced and directed by artist Tony Kastanos, 1990
“Breaking the Toy,” Performance/film event, Adelaide Festival Fringe, 1990
“Pleasure is Possible,” Solo Performance, Oblivion Performance Event, School of Arts, Brisbane1989
“Fire in the Heart,” Solo Performance, Work-to-Screen (Projecting Performance), Qld. College of Art, 1988
“Time’s Best Jewel” (with Adam Wolter), Work-to-Screen (Projecting
Performance), Qld. College of Art, 1988
“No Signal” (with Adam Wolter), Work-to-Screen (Projecting Performance), Qld. College of Art, 1988
“Portrait of the Artist Effecting a Cause,” (with Adam Boyd), Institute of Modern Art, Brisbane, 1987
“Reading and writing and talking about…” (with Fiona Templeton), John Mills National, Brisbane; Memorial Arch, Brisbane, 1987
“Fine Fragments” with Clout Performance (produced and directed by
Tim Gruchy), Experimental Art Foundation, Adelaide; Cement Box Theatre, Brisbane; Performance Space, Sydney, 1987
“Drowned History,” Solo Performance, Woop Woop National Performance Conference, Adelaide, 1987
“The Lethal Stage Triptych,” Solo Performance, Woop Woop National
Performance Conference, Adelaide; John Mills National, Brisbane, 1987
“Elegantly Composed,” Solo performance, Eyeline Magazine Launch, School of Arts, Brisbane, 1987
“Far Far Away,” (co-produced & directed with Michelle Andringa), Qld
Performing Arts Centre, Brisbane; Art(s) Now Symposium, Griffith University, Brisbane; Performance Event,
Community Arts Centre, Brisbane, 1987
“View to Spring (a visible fiction),” (co-produced & directed with
Michelle Andringa), Performance Week, That Contemporary Art Space, Brisbane, 1987
“Gun Crazy (ya gotta larf),” (co-produced & directed with Michelle
Andringa), Observatory Gallery, Brisbane, 1987
“Lonesome Coyotes,” (with Michelle Andringa), La Boite Theatre, Brisbane, 1984
“Fisch Klub” (with Michelle Andringa), La Boite Theatre, Brisbane, 1984
Curatorial Projects
“Monstrous_Gorgeous,” exhibition and performance season, Contemporary Art Centre of South Australia, 19
Co-Curator (with VNS Matrix), “Future Languages,” forums, workshop,
artists talks, online installation, video screening, 1994 Adelaide Festival Artists Week, Adelaide March 1994
“The Great Australian Science Show,” Exhibition Buildings, Melbourne 1993
“Tekno Viscera,” Institute of Modern Art, Brisbane, 1993
“IMA Performance Season One,” Institute of Modern Art, 1987
“Performance Season Two,” John Mills National, Brisbane, 1987
“Performance Season One,” John Mills National, Brisbane, 1987
Creative Partnerships
Partner: Queer Fruits Film Festival 2009-2012
Founding Partner, VNS Matrix: 1991-1997
Director: John Mills National Gallery 1986-1987
Selected Committees and Groups
Word of Mouth (Lesbian Visual Arts Collective), Coordinating Committee 1993 – 2000
Australian Network for Art and Technology, Honorary Lifetime Member 1992
Third International Symposium on Electronic Art (TISEA) 1991-1992
TISEA Performance Committee – chair
TISEA Coordinating Committee – committee member
International Directory of Electronic Art (France), Editorial Advisor, 1992
Computer Graphics;, The Origins (Netherlands), Editorial Committee,1992
Artists Week Committee, Adelaide Festival, 1992
Frames Festival of Film and Video, Film Selection Committee,1991
Second International Symposium on Electronic Art International
Program Committee,
Committee member, 1990
Artlink Magazine, Editorial Committee, 1989-1990
Queensland Artworkers Alliance, Foundation Member, 1985-1989
Treasurer 1985-1988; Committee member 1988-1989
Selected Employment History
2002 – 2005
Multimedia Arts, Lecturer Level A, Bachelor of Arts, Southern Cross
University, Lismore
Lecturing, Tutoring, Unit Materials, Marking, Supervision
2001 – 2009
Bucketmedia, Director
Multimedia development + production company
1998 –
Aboriginal and Islander Health Worker Journal, Data Services
Database, Web Design and Maintenance, Project Management.
2001 – 2002
Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras
Merchandise Manager
1999-2001
School of Communication, Media + Design, University of Western
Sydney, Nepean
Computer Studies Tutor Level 6
Tutoring, Lab Teaching, Marking
1998 – Jan 1999
The ALSO Foundation, Melbourne
Event Production Manager
1994
Researcher + manuscript co-author
With Dr Zoe Sofoulis
Double Agents: women, art and technology (unpublished).
1993
Master of FIne Art External Assessor
Linda Dement – NSW University College of Fine Art
Moira Corby – Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology
1991-1996
The ALSO Foundation
Promotions Manager & Designer, Volunteer Coordinator
1989 – 1992
Executive Officer
Australian Network for Art & Technology, Adelaide
1991 – 1997
Founding Partner, Artist, Administrator
VNS MATRIX*, Women’s multimedia production collective
1989 – 1991
Assessor
Art Research & Development Fund, Australian Network for Art and
Technology
1986-1987
Director (with Adam Boyd)
John Mills National, Artist Run Space