In their work, artists Morgan Levy and Haley Morris-Cafiero seek to challenge the patriarchal and algorithmic norms that privilege the employment of certain identities over others in workplace environments. This panel invites both artists to share insights into their work and their broader practices. Morgan Levy will discuss Spark of a Nail, a collaborative body of work that combines documentary, staged photography, and performance to challenge the patriarchal norms that have established hypermasculinity as a desirable workplace characteristic of the building trade. Working with women and non-binary tradespeople, Levy’s sensitive choreography seeks to imagine a future in which traditional workplace structures are dismantled, and new ones are established in their place. Haley Morris-Cafiero will share insights into her latest work: What Does an Ideal Employee Look Like. The project uses humour, performance and artificial intelligence (AI) to visualise biases hidden in the algorithms that power employment applicant assessment software used by major corporations. Collaborating with a computer scientist to recreate such an AI software, the artist then filmed herself in an interview situation, whilst manipulating her face to achieve ideal employee personality scores.
The panel will be moderated by Hannah Watson. Hannah is a freelance curator and director of independent publisher Trolley Books. For thirteen years she was Founder and Director of contemporary art gallery TJ Boulting, which supported and represented emerging and mid-career artists including those working within photography
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Morgan Levy is a winning finalist of the V&A Parasol Foundation Prize for Women in Photography 2025. Spark of a Nail will be on view in Room 4 of Copeland Gallery from 16-25 May, as part of Peckham 24.
Image credit © Morgan Levy, Jess Shimmering from the series Spark of a Nail.