Artist Leah Shelton premieres new show Keep Sleeping Beauty in Brisbane
Queensland performance artist Leah Shelton premieres her solo show Keep Sleeping Beauty at Metro Arts in Meanjin Brisbane as part of the Melt Festival.
Premiere details and themes
The work serves as a sobering indictment of the objectification of women. Shelton channels her rage into this new solo show that challenges cultural attitudes. The performance artist feels differently about the classic fairytale because a sleeping beauty cannot give consent. She feels the narrative gains a grim significance when placed in contrast to a society struggling with sexual assault of females.
Research and historical context
After the success of their prior work Batshit, Shelton partnered with Olivier Award-winning director Ursula Martinez. Their research took them back to Giambattista Basile Sun Moon and Talia from 1634. In this earliest recorded version the sleeping princess is raped by a king before waking up. The artists find the sanitized version problematic because it presents an invasion where the invader becomes the hero.
Real life cases discussed
The show confronts an insidious real-life issue involving drug-facilitated sexual assault cases that have emerged internationally. Gisèle Pelicot became a global icon after waiving her right to anonymity during her trial in 2024. More cases of drug-facilitated sexual assault have emerged on a truly international scale since then. Shelton says it feels like there is a backlash against MeToo and an intense growth of the manosphere.
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