‘The Matrix Now’: Liveness and artisanal labour

Free Your Mind was a dance adaptation of the Wachowskis’ 1999 film The Matrix, positioned as a response to current anxieties and excitement around artificial intelligence. Here I offer the aesthetic context of a range of post-cinematic live performances. Theoretical contexts are from film theory and studies of contemporary labour. By contrasting explorations of contemporary screen-based labour and consumption with the visible, physical work of live performers emphasized in the show, this article is intended to show how live performance can be offered as a luxury to audiences more accustomed to screens. The article also includes reflections on what this means for culture more broadly.