World Premiere Performance of SLEEPLESSNESS is Now on at Carriageworks

Sleeplessness, a new performance work by Australian artist Kaz Therese is now showing at Carriageworks, Australia's largest contemporary multi-arts precinct, until 13 August. Part-mystery, part-documentary, part forensic investigation, this quintessentially Australian story follows a fractured narrative in this radically honest story of self-discovery.

Developed over the past two decades by Kaz Therese, they said of the story: "I grew up not knowing my family history. Apart from a photo of my grandmother sitting on my mother's mantel, there were no other details about what happened to this woman, and why we didn't know more. I couldn't sleep from not knowing and became obsessed with trying to recreate an archive for my family that didn't exist. I thought I could stitch back the body of my family through art, and in doing so I found a story that I feel most Australians can relate to.

"This story has so many different elements but is ultimately about conversations around class in Australia and a fight against erasure. It's shining a light on the Forgotten Australians and highlighting the impact of institutionalisation on Australian children which is still a major issue. These are the stories that we don't often hear about."

Alongside the performances is a program of events. On 6 August there will be a post-show conversation with Kaz Therese and Dr Adele Chynoweth, Curator of the National Museum of Australia's touring exhibition Inside: Life in Children's Homes and Institutions moderated by Sarah Miller AM, Director of Learning and Innovation, NIDA. This informal discussion will respond to the themes of class and institutionalisation. On 11 August, there will be a post-show conversation inviting Care Leavers as well as members of the Stolen Generation and Asylum Seeker/Refugee communities to discuss their experiences of class in Australia. Speakers include Leonie Sheedy AM, CEO and co-founder of Care Leavers Australasia Network, Uncle Michael 'Widdy' Welsh, Chairperson of the Kinchela Boys Home Aboriginal Corporation, refugee advocate Zaki Haidari and artist Nadeena Dixon moderated by Sarah Miller AM. This performance and public program event will be Auslan interpreted.