LUMEN Summer 2019 - Flipbook - Page 34
Harnessing her many artistic talents
and influences, Joanna has crafted a
performance style which makes her
truly unique and allows her to create
memorable pieces of art on her own or
in collaboration with some of the world’s
most renowned artists.
Having performed in venues and festivals
including Carnegie Hall, Avignon Festival,
Holland Festival, The Metropolitan Opera,
Brooklyn Academy of Music, Vienna
State Opera and Hong Kong Festival,
Joanna relishes reinventing herself.
“Once I have my team or I’m a
collaborator for someone else that I
respect, then I want to do something I
haven’t done before specifically for the
project. Each piece will provide another
opportunity to invent myself again.
“As a female performer, vocally and
physically I love combining a feminine
elegance with comedy and a bit of horror.
I think this is a powerful stance. I like to
catch people unaware in this way and it’s
something only women can do,” she said.
A kaleidoscope of creative childhood
experiences had an influence on the kind
of artist Joanna wanted to become. After
all, she grew up with creative parents just
after Don Dunstan – a strong supporter of
the arts and cultural exchanges with Asia
– reigned as South Australian Premier.
From her childhood, Joanna fondly
remembers Chinese kite flying in Elder
Park on the weekends and taking part in
the Come Out Children’s Festival (now
the DreamBIG Festival), a week long
arts extravaganza for kids, which took
over the River Torrens’s banks each year.
Joanna’s mum Gai is a visual artist and
teacher, and her brother Oliver works
as a designer in advertising. Her father
Grahame is a composer and University of
Adelaide alumnus who taught at the Elder
Conservatorium for more than 30 years.
Each member of her family has had an
immense influence on what she does.
“Dad was often creating wonderful
music theatre as a composer. He
collaborated with Frank Ford [regarded
32
THE UNIVERSITY OF ADELAIDE
