[5] This approach derives from her earlier career (1980-1995) as an artist and art critic, where she developed a lasting interest in interdisciplinary methodologies integrating research and practice.
Fleming's father experienced stress-related health challenges while working as vice president and Executive Art Director for MacLaren Advertising (now McCann Worldgroup) from 1963 to 1968.
[13] Fleming was awarded a Commonwealth Scholarship in 1997 to pursue a MA (Master of Arts) in The History of the Book at the School of Advanced Study of University of London.
[14] In her early artistic career, Fleming was an involved in various artist-run centres, and authored art criticism and theoretical articles for publications such as ArtForum,[15] Open Letter,[16] and Block,[17] among others.
[18] The couple lived together in Montreal, Quebec, where from their studio base they produced internationally a substantial body of research-intensive site-specific installations that were mainly self-organised, forging a deep and intersectional feminist aesthetics.
[18] La Donna Delinquenta refers to Cesare Lombroso's 1893 book, The Female Offender, an early and influential criminological treatise profiling prostitutes, immigrants and poor people in order for police to identify prospective criminals.
The title and exhibition is a response to poet Christina Rosetti’s 19th century allegorical poem "Goblin Market", which explores themes of feminine temptation, redemption, and conflicts between virtue and sensual pleasure, in a pastoral setting.
Fleming has specialised in the design, creation and management of research projects and centres which conjoin humanities disciplines (often in university settings) with museum and collection institutions.
In a similar light to the collaborative installation La Musee de Sciences with Lapointe in 1984, the displays created a reflective and critical response to museum practices which reestablished new and multiple orderings of scientific tropes and meanings.