What is it to consider materials and objects in relationship to performance and gender in light of recent thinking around new materialism and feminism? In this seminar we will combine reading and doing: exploring our own choices of materials to work with and considering ideas from new materialism about whether the materials themselves have their own existence, desire and logic. We will be questioning the relationship between ourselves and matter as material, ‚Dinge‘ and meaning, specifically in the context of other artists and performers such as Ana Mendieta, Oreet Asheery, Bobby Baker, Jakob Lena Knebl, La Ribot, Pussy Riot and Mierle Laderman Ukeles. Inspired by bell hooks statement that feminism is more an act of doing rather than just a mode of identification I take feminism in this context to be plural (feminisms) and not bound to one gender. I am interested in exploring with participants how these feminisms might speak to materials and visa versa. Each participant will consider and present a short performance around the relationship to a certain material of their choice and take part in shared reading, discussion and feedback.