About

Interdisciplinary artist Sandra Parker is based in Melbourne, Australia. Her work focuses on the minutiae and detail of gestural movement, somatic embodiment and perception, and includes theatre pieces and gallery installations that employ a range of materials including movement, light, sound, video, interactivity, objects/kinetic sculptures, and text.

While Sandra Parker’s background is in dance, her practice does not rest on the expectations of the art form or a particular view of performance. An evolution of methods and processes that interrogate the creation, production and presentation of performance can be see across her body of work. This is achieved by applying highly organised spatial-temporal structures, that speak to the ontology of the presented medium, to inspect the relationship between the performer and material, and the instruction imposed on them.

Sandra Parker is the recipient of the Australia Council for the Arts Dance Board Fellowship and a Centenary Medal for Services to Australian Society and Dance.

Recent activity includes: 

Safehold (2022/2023/2024), new work in development, created through a residency at The Australian Ballet, Lucy Guerin Inc and funding support from the Australia Council for the Arts

Replacement (2022), gallery performance installation, Sarah Scout Presents, Melbourne (Creative Victoria, Creator’s Fund)

Looming (2021) Video installation, ‘This is a Poem’, Buxton Contemporary, Melbourne

International Residency (2019) Cite internationale des Arts, Paris, supported by the Australia Council

Adherence (2019) Iwaki Auditorium, Australian Broadcasting Commission, Melbourne

Small Details (2016), Dancehouse, Dance Massive, Melbourne

Sandra Parker has presented her work in Paris, Berlin, Portugal and New York, and undertaken residencies in Italy (Bogliasco Foundation Fellowship); China (Red Gate, Beijing and Guangdong Modern Dance Company, Guangzhou); Paris (Cite internationale des Arts), Tokyo (Kei Takei’s Moving Earth); Sydney (Critical Path); Berlin (the Sophiensale and Laborgras); and New York (Residency Unlimited). She has collaborated with Chinese director Hope Chiang, Macau and Gender/Power artists Maya Ciarrocchi and Kris Grey, NY.  From 1998-2006, she was the 3rd Artistic Director of Dance Works, the iconic Australian dance company, creating innovative collaborations with many artists and arts organisations, including Melbourne International Festival of the Arts 2000, 2002 and 2003. International projects include the creation of Span with Shelley Lasica and American Choreographers Bebe Miller and Susan Braham, for Danspace, St Mark's Church, New York and Wave Hill, the Bronx.  

Parker’s work has been supported by the Australia Council for the Arts; Creative Victoria (Arts Victoria); City of Melbourne; City of Port Phillip; Besen Family Foundation; Australia China Council; Ian Potter Cultural Trust; American Australia Association; and Copyright Agency Cultural Fund.