Dr Jaye Early is a visual artist and researcher with ADA's School of Art & Design. He has recently published a book about confessional video art.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
I’m a Dharug man, artist and academic working with performance-based video art and painting. I’m a lecturer in the School of Art & Design, teaching art history and theory courses. I’ve held similar roles at the Victorian College of the Arts, the University of Melbourne and the University of South Australia before relocating back home to Sydney in 2023.
My practice-led research explores how confessional video art complicates the intersections of subjectivity, privacy and public space. More specifically, my most recent publication, , explores the confessional subject within contemporary video art, offering a new Foucauldian framework by which to understand video as a socio-political tool for navigating the politics of the self and resistance in society.
What or who sparked your interest in this area of research?
The idea for my research evolved from the explorations I was doing in my studio practice. During this time, I encountered a quote from Cuban-born American artist Félix González-Torres: “Above all else, it is about leaving a mark that I existed: I was here. I was hungry. I was defeated. I was happy. I was sad. I was in love. I was afraid. I was hopeful. I had an idea, and I had a good purpose and that's why I made works of art.â€Â
I think it was the simple confessional poeticism of González-Torres’ words that moved and inspired me to think more authentically about myself as a person and as an artist, and as an extension of this, the video art that I wanted to make. Moreover, throughout my career as a visual artist, I have developed an interest in the various and contradictory modes in which contemporary confessional discourse and its relationship to subjectivity has been problematised and displayed through evolving technology. In addition, how such technology can facilitate not only an exploration of the self, but also the forever shifting and temporary world around us.
The most successful researchers, I find, aren’t the ones who always have the answers; they’re the ones who learn how to keep moving forward in the face of doubt.
What are you working on right now?
Apart from writing and submitting several journal articles, I’m preparing for an exhibition later in the year at AIRspace Projects Inc., which will comprise video work and painting. The exhibition will complicate and extend some of the ideas that have surfaced since writing my book. I’m also preparing for an Artist Residency at Woollahra Gallery at Redleaf for early 2026. I’ve also just completed writing my second book. I would describe it as unconventional guidebook or resource on loneliness from an autobiographical perspective. I’m hoping that it will be published in mid-2026.
What do you find most rewarding about being a researcher?
What I find rewarding about being a researcher is the pursuit of understanding; the ability to contribute to an expanding corpus of knowledge exchange and building on knowledge that lasts. Research adds to a collective. Even seemingly small contributions can be part of something much bigger and meaningful over time.
What piece of advice would you give to someone who is considering or about to transition into academia?
What I've discovered working in research is that oftentimes research, and academia in general, can be a slow burn process. Given this, it helps to make friends with patience and perseverance. The most successful researchers, I find, aren’t the ones who always have the answers; they’re the ones who learn how to keep moving forward in the face of doubt. Think long-term, act short-term. Protect your curiosity—admin overwhelm can dull passion. Always leave room for reading or exploring things just because they’re interesting, no matter how unrelated they seem to your research. Find a strong community—academia can be isolating. Seek mentors, collaborators, or peers who will challenge and support you. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, a piece of advice that one my PhD supervisors gave me was to learn to receive criticism without losing confidence. It’s a skill.
To learn more about Dr Jaye Early's research, projects and achievements, visit his Researcher Profile.