Preview: Tuesday 5 April 2016, 18:30–20.30hrs

Exhibition open: Wednesday 6 – Saturday 9 April, 12:00-18:00hrs 

Manual Labours present a week-long programme of events and new commissions at The Showroom by artist Sarah Browne, choreographer Hamish MacPherson and writer Ivor Southwood.

Developed from a series of workshops with call centre workers in a London Borough Council, commuters on a train station platform, and University staff dealing with student complaints, Manual Labours: The Complaining Body explores the physical and emotional effects of complaining, receiving complaints and not being able to complain in the context of work.

Sarah Browne presents a new film Report to an Academy, drawing from the Kafka story of the same title, exploring the contemporary academic environment as a neoliberal workplace. Ivor Southwood launches his essay, The Uncomplaining Body, which investigates the culture of a large workplace from the perspective of an outsourced temporary cleaner/porter; and Hamish MacPherson examines the rituals of complaining through Breastbeating - a card game simulating an after-work pub session, a performance workshop and a games evening.

Events programme:

Wednesday 6 April, 18:30–20.30hrs: Film screening and discussion with Sarah Browne and Saoirse Wall

Thursday 7 April, 18:30–20.30hrs: Complaining games night with Hamish MacPherson

Sunday 10 April, 12:00-16:00hrs: Complaining workshop with Hamish MacPherson, 15:00-18:00hrs: Performance and exhibition closing event

Manual Labours: The Complaining Body is the second stage of the practice based research project Manual Labours initiated by Sophie Hope and Jenny Richards exploring people’s physical relationships to work. The project is developed in partnership with The Showroom, London; In Certain Places, Preston and Movement and Division of Labour, Worcester.

THE SHOWROOM

63 Penfold Street

London NW8 8PQ