Zoë Bastin

04.01.21

Zoë Bastin is an artist, choreographer, curator, sometimes writer and self-described ‘rat-bag’. As an artist who makes performances, sculptures, videos, photos and runs a radio show, she’s fascinated by the porousness of the body, where it starts and ends and how culture inscribes ideas of gender and sexuality onto our physical form.

Since childhood she’s been interested in gender roles in dance class, particularly who’s allowed to do what and why. Drawing on her background of creative dance, she creates works that explore difficult psychological terrain. From the homophobia in her religious childhood to delving into the gender politics of ballet, Zoë’s works are often hard hitting. But from this deep emotional investigation comes the joy of dancing itself.

Zoë has previously exhibited and performed at Dancehouse, Midsumma Festival, Bus Projects, Felt Space, c3 Contemporary Art Space, Seventh Gallery, Testing Grounds, BLINDSIDE, Bloc Projects, KINGS Artist Run, MADA Gallery at Monash University, Project Space at RMIT University and The Substation. Zoë recently completed her PhD (RMIT University) where she was researching gender by transforming patriarchal hierarchies in bodies and objects.