Danielle Freakley is a Seychellois-Australian artist, a first selection finalist of the Arte Laguna Prize (Venice Arsenale), exhibited at Tate (Liverpool Biennial), Performa – Performance Art Biennial of New York and various other biennials, triennials, national galleries, state galleries, contemporary art spaces, kitchen floors, snake temples, theme parks, clothes, bins, beaches, conversations, train-station toilets and graves.
Danielle Freakley, Everywhere I look, 2007, jeweller’s wax, glass coat, wood, 17 x 90 x 40cm, CCWA 887.
Born in Perth and graduating with her BA in Visual Arts from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) and MA (with Hons) from the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA), she has worked in performance focusing on long duration projects that evolve over time. She also works in social practice, interactive systems and sculpture. Her works can distort social communication and relationships, exposing lurking historical and private subtexts in day to day life through linguistic cartography. People can often accidentally collaborate with her, just through bumping into her socially. Other pieces involve intricate international networks working through subconscious systems.
Her wax sculpture Everywhere I look 2007 is one of the more intriguing works of contemporary art in the Cruthers Collection of Women’s Art.
Danielle worked in casting in a jewellery factory between 2005-2007 when this wax sculpture was made. The sculptures were made for and given to individuals. A number were left on doorsteps for certain people. A feral cat destroyed one left for someone, on the doorstep of their squat. Another was given as a wedding present and was most likely thrown in the bin; the couple expressed they thought the work was crap. Dozens of these sculptures went undocumented. Approximately 10% were shown in galleries eventually, but they probably shouldn’t have been there. They should probably be with the rest, in their rightful place, being destroyed by natural causes, left on doorsteps or wedding tables of the individuals they are made for.
“This sculpture is the incarnation of much embarrassing poetry that you could, would and should never show anyone.” – Danielle Freakley, artist’s statement at “Into the Light”: the Cruthers Collection of Women’s Art exhibition, Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery, 2012.
