A WORLD OF APPEARANCES | WALKING IN THE WAY

Walking in the Way is a collaborative performance series by established artists Frances Mezzetti and Pauline Cummins. They explore control of space, stereotyping, masculinities, movement and presence. Walking in the Way was first performed in Dublin in 2009 and the artists continue to probe the possibilities to date. 

This decade long collaboration in performance art, A World of Appearances, addresses cultural and social perceptions around gender, age and visibility through documentary images and video. 
  
As feminist artists who challenge essentialist fixed identities, these Irish artists seek to make visible how gender intersects with society. They pay particular attention to how small acts and movements can be re-presented and performed in and through their “gendered” bodies. 
  
The Walking in the Way performances take place in cities where the two female artists take on the mannerism, gestures and physicality of male presence in the public arena.   The focus of each piece develops from the general to the particular and each one is unique to that city.  The development of the work is informed by key figures from the chosen community, and an important part of the research process is informed by understandings and  connections that are forged with local individuals in each of the selected cities. 
  
The performances are observational, transient works, with a unique meaning and resolution. 
  
10 performances have taken place in 9 different cities, Dublin, Belfast, London Edinburgh, Derry/Londonderry, Istanbul, Madrid, Seville, and Malaga. 

For a chance to meet the artists and discuss the work further, Francis and Pauline will be based at the exhibition on Sunday afternoon the 5th of February. Afterwards, artist Ruby Wallis will be leading a night walk through the city centre, with a focus on engaging with psychogeography and ways to re-imagine the urban landscape through a feminist lens. Francis and Pauline will also be based at the exhibition on March 14th, for any final questions about the show. 

A new publication Walking in the Way: Performing Masculinity, Cummins & Mezzetti, will also be available for sale at the show, with four brilliant essays on performance, by eminent writers, art historian Catherine Marshall, Spanish artist, Nieves Correa, Dr Kate Antosik-Parsons and Dr Aine Phillips. 

This exhibition took place as a part of the 2023 festival Brigit: Dublin City Celebrating Women.