The body of work entitled 'chickenhouse' is an exploration of the roles played out within a family unit. This work is based on very personal events in my own family life, yet these are common experiences which any person can relate to purely because of their foundations in everyday living. Within these works I deal with such issues as communication and the function of conversation. Two monitors placed opposite each other play out the silent dialogue of a couple who's ability to communicate with one another is stifled by circumstance and the interruption of the passing observer. 'chickenhouse' is centred on the workings of a family living in a rural area, and as such draws upon aspects of the countryside as a backdrop to which the story unfolds. I present issues within a family that are all too often swept under the carpet yet which we all must face at some point in our lives. While this work strives to provoke an enlivenment of the senses and an emotive response, it is also my hope that it will create an awareness of family politics.