Donaldson presented the acclaimed participatory work 501s (2018–ongoing) with The Physics Room at the Melbourne Art Fair in 2018, and with them developed a parallel collection of commissioned essays and artworks, Through That Which Separates Us, published in 2021. Using technology developed by the artist and a software developer, 501s gave real-time expression to text messages from imprisoned 501s detainees, interrupting a sleek rendering of an historical marketing event.
This video is a section of a documented live feed.
The Vision of Participatory Parity: A conversation between Cushla Donaldson and David Hall on the occasion of the 501s presentation at the Melbourne Art Fair in 2018 is available to read here.
It gets weird out there: A 2024 essay by Mark Amery on Cushla Donaldson's moving image and wider practice is available to read here.
