Safe Spaces - Deaf performances on safe space for Deaf

Safe Space poetry with the hands

Safe Space I

This work developed from researching Deaf culture and identity, the loss of our Deaf identity through audism and oppression from the communities including schools and education system. Chelle wrote a poem on safe space and holding a safe space for the Deaf and having hearing allies who become safe space for the Deaf.

Chelle realised she had put herself in unsafe spaces in the past and realising who and what are her safe spaces.

Safe Space installation

Projector projects the video performance from top to the floor, onto a textile poem.






















Safe Space I textile
circular cut fabric, sewn with pink and grey yarn.

Chelle informs through her textile work the difficulties of lipreading and the expectation that she can lipread. Reality is lipreading gets very tiring after a short while, and Deaf people lose their way during lipreading and information gets lost - the grey represents the loss of information halfway through trying to lipread.

What is safe for Deaf? Being safe is being able to communicate effectively using Auslan. Allies of the Deaf (hearing people as allies) make Deaf people feel safe and the poem speaks of this.

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​This artwork creation was supported by a grant from the Australia Council of the Arts