Elaine McCague 2025

Elaine McCague
in that I dwell in
8 to 20 May 2025

The residency at Uillinn will support research to develop a concept for a new performance working with a pair of enormous stout domestic work boots and a rope. Working under the research title “in that I dwell in” and with the boots as the object, I will explore the transformative possibilities to what they can become, what they represent and the preconceived notions the viewer might hold. Work boots are linked to resilience, hard work, and determination, they signify protection, strength, stability, and a readiness for life’s journey. The workboots machismo will be in contrast with the female performers’ femininity, a femininity shaped by a patriarchal society. I will seek out the parallels, the opposition, keeping in mind personal experiences, instinctive desires, and symbolic use of shoes in pop culture, and explore both how these intersect and influence our perceptions of gender norms and expectations. I will delve into the boots’ capacity to influence the female body and seek out the magic in transforming appearance, meaning, and possibility, all while hanging on a rope.

Elaine’s ambitions are to construct unique site responsive works in the collaboration and experimentation of the physical, visual and audioscape. She strives to create the unbelievable, and an all-encompassing visceral experience by method of circus. As an aerialist, Elaine produces, devises, artistically directs and performs specialising in rope and reinventing traditional circus apparatus.

She co-founded Loosysmokes in late 2014, bringing an eclectic background of interest and skills, including years in film, writing and production work as well as an extensive history of training in traditional circus techniques, the aim was to create powerful and high quality artistic productions that draw in audiences outside of traditional theatre goers.

In 2022 she began DetacheD, an ongoing creative lab to experiment with circus, installation and film.

Elaine McCague is a multi-disciplinary artist interested in bending contemporary circus.

Elaine McCague is a professional aerial performer, creative producer and director of modern circus art at Loosysmokes. In 2019 she was awarded a Circus Bursary award from the Arts Council of Ireland. As an artist her ambition is to construct unique and powerful site responsive works through collaboration and experimentation with the physical, visual and audio scape that are not bound by the traditional trappings of art, circus or performance. Loosysmokes’ two major productions to date, Behind the Dark and Raven Eyed have both received raving five star reviews from the Irish Times and toured nationally and internationally. In 2020, Loosysmokes were Artists in Residence at the Gate Theatre, Dublin.

WCAC acknowledges the financial support of Cork County Council and The Arts Council in making these residencies possible.