bCasts

Untold Intimacies: a History of Sex Work in Aotearoa, 1978-2008 is a new book written by historian of sex, gender, and health, Cherl Ware, published by Auckland University Press. 

In June 2003, New Zealand became the first country to decriminalise sex work.

Through the lived experiences of 25 individuals, the book is an account of the stories of sex workers in Aotearoa and the industry’s transformation over this critical 30 year period. 

Drawing on new and archival interviews, Ware tells their stories through an in-depth historical investigation from the regulation of brothels with the Massage Parlours Act of 1978, through the struggle for decriminalisation to the legally mandated national review of the law in 2008.

Sofia had a kōrero with author Cheryl Ware about the importance of this body of research, writing the book, and her reflections now.

Alex Laurie is a Tāmaki Makaurau based artist, working amongst sculpture and installation in response to site specific and architectural contexts.

The title of his current show on at Grace, Nit, is a three letter homonym referring to:

1. The egg or young form of a louse or other parasitic insect

2. A foolish person

3. A unit of luminance used to measure brightness.

Within Nit laurie resumes  his long standing fascination with vessels. A magical sculptural water vessel awaits viewers as they enter the gallery. Luring them in closer through its hypnotic circular movements of 5 wooden goblets amongst a bath of milky water.

Venturing further into the gallery,  a scullery of translucent spoons and ladles quickly shift into these illusionary ciphers that nod to the form of an egg. Sinking in and out of their surroundings, refracting the light as they fall between.

Maya had a kōrero with Alex Laurie about the show, and overall practice

Untold Intimacies: a History of Sex Work in Aotearoa, 1978-2008 is a new book written by historian of sex, gender, and health, Cherl Ware, published by Auckland University Press. 

In June 2003, New Zealand became the first country to decriminalise sex work.

Through the lived experiences of 25 individuals, the book is an account of the stories of sex workers in Aotearoa and the industry’s transformation over this critical 30 year period. 

Drawing on new and archival interviews, Ware tells their stories through an in-depth historical investigation from the regulation of brothels with the Massage Parlours Act of 1978, through the struggle for decriminalisation to the legally mandated national review of the law in 2008.

Sofia had a kōrero with author Cheryl Ware about the importance of this body of research, writing the book, and her reflections now.