AA Interprofessional Studio (AAIS) Portfolio 2020

A2020 AIS Architectural Association Interprofessional Studio Unit Portfolio 2020

AAIS Portfolio

AAIS 2020 Architectural Association School of Architecture Architectural Association Interprofessional Studio June 2020

Contents AAIS Phase I March Event 2121.2.1.0 Narrative Description Event Result Department Result

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AAIS Phase I June Event Solo Dialogues Festival Statement Pre-event Workshop

Department of Interconnectedness

A Conversation Between London and Shanghai

A Walk from Hampstead Heath to Seoul Forest

A Note Travels Ten Thousand Miles Public Relations

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AAIS Phase II MFA Events

LAWIK BAKABA - Nasha Bahasoean

Untitled, A 1:1 Model - Lier Chen

Iterating - Yuan Gu

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AAIS PHASE I JUNE EVENT

Narrative Description

“2121.2.1.0” is an interactive, multimedia performance presented by the Architectural Association Interprofessional Studio (AAIS) in collaboration with Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, at The Provender Building (Camden Market, London), on the 12th and 13th of March 2020, 6:00pm. The main event will be followed by live music/performance and DJ by invited guests.

AAIS Phase I March Event 2121.2.1.0; Photo by Xiyuan Wang.

“2121.2.1.0” presents simultaneous platforms of interaction that imaginatively reflect on our current global environmental situation. The performances play on the notion of creativity as a currency, a resource to be harvested, served, and systemised, an essential aspect of society that humanity is dependent upon. It begs the question: who is in control? Your participation is essential as we require collective minds to ascertain whether we are in crisis or on the verge of a new creative age.

For more information: AAIS: www.interprofessionals.net Event Teaser: https://vimeo.com/407293299 Event Trailer: https://vimeo.com/410188260

What role will you play? Intrigued? You should be!

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Event Result 1 - Select a Mask

Mask options, Welcoming Area, Level 1

Above: Photo by Xiyuan Wang Opposite: Photo by Xiyuan Wang

Audience members depicted wearing masks in the “Workshop” during the performance, Level 1. In the Welcoming Area the audience were invited to select a mask out of

two options. The mask selection would determine the role, space and experience the audience member would engagement in. The two different masks indicate the roles of the “unprivileged worker” in Workshop on Level 1 and “privileged 4

guest” in Banquet on Level 2. The masks for the Workshop were made of colourful fabric covering the nose, mouth and neck, while the masks for the Banquet were created from a wire structure with a translucent veil covering the eyes.

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2A - Watch the Induction video

2B - Waiting for the Banquet The audience wearing the veil mask was introduced into the elegant atmosphere started with the sound installation and performance.

The peaceful sound was created combining the installation and choreography.

During this stage the audience were emotionally into self-awareness of being “advantaged class” and waited for the host and waitress to guide them to private rooms one by one.

Left and Right: performance with sound installation at Level 2 lobby; Photo

by Xiyuan Wang Opposite: Instruction video at Level 1 Induction area;Photo by Xiyuan Wang

The Induction video displayed before the main performance, Workshop, Level 1.

The audience members who selected a colourful face mask were instructed to watch an induction video including background informa-tion of the “Workshop”, safety information in case of an emergency and a demonstration of how to 6

connect their mask to the Workshop system before being allowed to enter the main performance space.

Sound installation and performer Franziska Böhm

Sound installation and performer Ting-Ning Wen

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3B - Main Performance during the Banquet

3A - Main Performance during the Workshop

The privileged guests were arranged in separate booths created by suspended translucent fabric.

A menu was presented, and the audi-ence placed orders course by course. The waiter transferred the order to the Workshop and served the artefact produced by the work-ers on Level 1.

Performer Tuesdae Houston guiding the audience to create artefacts, Workshop, Level 1.

Audience “Workers” producing artefacts, Workshop, Level 1

The order also included commands for the entertainers’ dance, spoken word and sound performance. They entered each booth to serve the privileged guests with graceful “dishes”.

Audience as privileged guest, seated in a private booth,Lounge, Level 2

The audience was led to different workstations group by group.

After connecting the mask with the whole Workshop structure, linking to the system, the audience became the workers repre-sentitive of the unprivileged.

Their creativity was extracted, and harvested, the artefacts produced were served to the privileged guests in the Lounge on Level 2 according to their order.

The combination of spatial design, sound installation and performance were aimed to create a comprehensive elite banquet.

The whole sequence and pace were controlled by Patarita Tas-sanarapan who gave instructions for the workshop production and enhanced the oppressive atmosphere by remixed sound.

Level 1 workshop audience making “artefacts”; Photo by Xiyuan Wang.

Opposite: Level 2 audience enjoying bespoke live performance; Photo by Xiyuan Wang

A full scene of the Workshop, Level 1

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Entertainer Franziska Böhm presenting a dance performance in a private booth and Nasha Bahasoean waiting aside delivering a sound performance, Lounge, Level 2.

Entertainer Ting-Ning Wen and Franziska Böhm serving the privileged guests with a dance performance, Lounge, Level 2

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4 - The Rebellion Performance The work desks in the Workshop were shoved by the Instructors during the onset of the rebellion causing the remaining material and artefacts to fall to the floor.

All performers engaged in the rebellion performance, Work-shop, Level 1

The rebellion of the unprivileged workers directed at the system, towards the privileged was led by three performers and instigated the merging of all audience members and performers from both levels to converge in the Workshop for the rebellion finale.

All: Rebellion performance; Photo by Xiyuan Wang.

Performer Franziska Bรถhm from second floor joining the rebel-lion performance, Workshop, Level 1

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Performer Jie Wang during the rebellion performance, Work-shop, Level 1

Performer Tuesdae Houston and Franziska Bรถhm during the rebellion performance, Workshop, Level 1V

The last stage of performance, Workshop, Level 1

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5 - Live Music

6 - Guest Performance

Live music by Alexandros Makedonas.

Dance performance by Axelle De Groote and Isaac Banks.

The whole event ended with a live music performance by Alexandros Makedonas on 12th March and a dance performance by Axelle De Groote and Isaac Banks on 13th March as a representation of the AAIS network.

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All: Guest performances; Photo by Xiyuan Wang.

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Department Result SPATIAL DESIGN Performer Circulation Between Two Levels AFTER PARTY AREA The Afterparty Area is used for the DJ and dance performances of Trinity Laban students succeeding the AAIS event.

WELCOMING AREA Upon entering the venue, all guests are ushered into the Welcoming Area where they are asked to pick either a mask or a veil. Based on their choices, they are either led into the Workshop on Level 1 or the Lounge on Level 2.

Entranc

e

THE INDUCTION Level 1 audience members, the workers, led by a workshop Instructor are required to watch an Induction video prior to entering the Workshop.

THE WORKSHOP The workers are locked into the Creative Workshop Network via their masks. They follow the Workshop Instructors guiding movements to create “artefacts” ordered by the privileged guests on Level 2.

After choosing the mask which correlates to each Level and audience experience, the privileged guests of Level 2 are served by the waiter and order artefacts via a menu from Level 1. Waiter 1 collects the order from each booth; passes the menu orders to waiter 2; waiter 2 delivers the menu orders downstairs to the Workshop on Level 1 and simultaneously collects the artefacts created by the workers from each station and returns to Level 2. There are three-round services which correlate to the menu courses which are: ENTRÉE, MAIN and DESSERT.

B4

B2 B3

P1

LEVEL 1

7.3m

B1

LED operator

PWM

P2 laptop

LEVEL 2 PWM

l ve Le

Main Entrance

2 S3

S2 S1 LEVEL 2

THE RECEPTION Level 2 audience members, the guests, led by the Host are invited into the Reception where they enjoy a live choreography performance with analogue sound installations.

THE LOUNGE The guests are led into individual booths to sit and relax, with live meditative analogue music performed in the background. They order live performances as well as “artefacts” which are then produced downstairs.

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Cable Movable Socket

Micro Batt LED Light

Projector

Wall Socket

Candle Light

PWM Camera

0

2

4

6

8

10m

l1 ve e L

LEVEL 1

Guset (Audience)

Worker (Audience)

Bn

Booth

Host

Instructor

Sn

Station

Dancer

Stage Whisper

Service Route (Three-round)

Sound Performer

Light Controller

Waiter

Staff

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Department Result SPATIAL DESIGN Axonometric Diagram of Two Levels

Spatial Moments Dissected

LOUNGE THE RECEPTION

LOUNGE THE BOOTH

LOUNGE THE RECEPTION

LOUNGE THE BOOTH

WORKSHOP THE INDUCTION

l ve Le

2

Guest (Audience)

Workshop Instructor

Dancer

Stage Whisper

Staff

Sound Performer

WORKSHOP THE WORKSTATION

Waiter

l ve Le

1

LEVEL 2

Worker (Audience)

WORKSHOP THE EYE

2

LEVEL 1

LEVEL 2

l1 ve e L

l ve Le

LEVEL 1

WORKSHOP THE WORKSTATION

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WORKSHOP THE INDUCTION

Worker (Audience)

WORKSHOP THE EYE Guest (Audience)

Workshop Instructor

Dancer

Stage Whisper

Sound Performer

Waiter

Staff

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Department Result COSTUME DESIGN FOR LEVEL 1

The costumes designed and produced for Level 1 demonstrate the tendency of the privileged to use the culture industry to mentally control the unprivileged members of society. Tops and pants symbolise popular culture however they lose their meaning after being processed by the cultural industry. The grid, brightly colored ribbons, waist bands, and the outside layer of male’s clothing

represent the figurative features of the cultural industry. Masks are also made using brightly colored cloth which symbolically portrays the view that people have lost the ability to criticise life as a result of the long-term influence of the cultural industry.

All: Level 1 costume in construction; Photo by Yixin Ye.

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Level 1 “Workshop Instructors” performing; Photo by Xiyuan Wang.

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Department Result COSTUME DESIGN FOR LEVEL 2

Level 2 costume in construction; Photo by Xiyuan Wang.

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Level 2 performance; Photo by Xiyuan Wang.

In 2121.2.1.0, the costumes created for the performers in the role of entertainers not only act as part of the dress code but become spatial and choreographic elements as well. Two sets of costumes incorporate in their design a response to the quiet and private atmosphere created on Level 2 due to the use of translucent fabric both to create the individual booths for the audience and the costumes. The fluctuat-ing, illusive visual effect is further enhanced by the designed spatial sequencing of the performers and the elegantly choreographed body movement illuminated by the background atmosphere of shining candles and fabric suspended from the ceiling.

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The result of costume design is quite successful. The costume underwent a series of alterations throughout the design development as a result of prototype testing, in addition to responding to the changing spatial design, and refining the overall aesthetic. As a result, the final versions differ slightly from the original design, however the effect is beyond estimation.

Based on the feedback from the audience, the experience of being a member of the privileged group, being served, watching creative performances as courses of the “banquet� whilst seated in private booths, was highly enjoyable and thought provoking. The whole design and production process required skills and considerations from many different aspects and project departments.

2121.2.1.0 presented a successful challenge to expand the boundary of our limitations and practice network theories through the productive collaboration within the AAIS student body and external collaborators.

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Department Result SOUND DESIGN FOR LEVEL 1

The AAIS March event is not only a testing ground for the students to present the potential of the skill they have chosen to specialise in, it also provides room for experimentation regarding interdisciplinary work. In the event, 2121.2.1.0, the sound design has gone beyond music producing as it has been developed within the framework of a multidisciplinary performance and the concept of audience engagement.

The sound design of the performance on Level 1 takes inspiration from the style of industrial music. Based on the research, this musical genre is usually expressed through both audio and visual performance; and the contents of the industrial style traditionally expose the manifesto of the artists about social issues. Aligning to the theme of the event which is aimed to demonstrate the future condition where non-privileged people are forced to produce creativity for the benefit of the privileged, the industrial music style effectively supports this narrative.

The sound performance of 2121.2.1.0 is composed of two elements which consist of recorded ambient music and live sound input. There are two areas of sound design on Level 1: the introduction area and performance area. Due to the different musicality of the ambient spaces, the audience can perceive different imagery of each atmosphere. In the introduction area, ambient music intrigues the audience to feel curious and mysterious. The effect of a live echo simultaneously occurs, contributing an additional layer to the ambient sound, which correlates to the action of the audience as they shut the door at the entrance. The ambient music plays an important role to integrate every space into the one event.

Narrative structure within the sound performance is a crucial element for keeping the audience engaged throughout long durations of time remaining within one physical space. In the performance of Level 1, the ambient music builds the atmosphere of the sci-fi industrial workshop space. Additionally, the announced voiceover adds to the narrative structure and is performed live in order to effectively set the tone of the Workshop, the derlying system, and attract the audience’s attention to instruct their participation.

The result of the performance was deemed to be successful. The positive outcome could be measured by audience co-operation in every situation, their attentiveness when following the instructions of the performers to create the artefacts, and through the positive feedback regarding the sound design recieved after the event. In addition to the planned and designed sound performance for the event, AAIS invited external artists and DJ to perform in the after-party session.

This event provides a valuable learning experienc in many aspects, including team management and collaboration. It is an undeniable aspect to encounter smooth and challenging situations during the collaboration process, however the challenges proved to generate new forms of creativity.

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Upper left: The performer instructs the audience to produce artefacts; Upper right: The performer narrates manipulative dialogue through voice-over, commanding the audience to keep producing; Lower left: The artefacts that the audience produce during the workshop; Lower right: The rebellion scene of the performance in the workshop; Opposite: Live Workshop voiceover; Photo by Xiyuan Wang.

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Guest Performance Live Music by Alexandros Makedonas Alexandros is a mechanical engineer. He is the former colleague of Jie Wang in Hongkong.

Live DJ by Max Bentler Max Bentler is studying an MPhil in Architecture and Urban Design (Projective Cities) at the Architectural Association School of Architecture.

Live Performance by Katie Burks (choreographer), Axelle De Groote (Performer), Isaac Banks (Performer) Katie, Axelle, and Isaac are studying in the MFA in Choreography at the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance.

Photo by Xiyuan Wang.

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Department Result SOUND DESIGN FOR LEVEL 2 The sound design for Level 2 of the event was not subject to thorough plot development or change according to the narrative. Correspondingly, with regards to the setting of the sound design keywords, there was not much discussion about emotion, or inclusion of emotive words. On the contrary, emphasis was placed on achieving an atmosphere of calm and lowered emotions through the application of sound as well as the overall spatial atmosphere: to capture a sense of an ethereal future. From this direction, references were drawn from science fiction movies, meditation music, and illustrations in an attempt to discern the specific sound features needed to achieve the desired atmosphere.

The sound design of Level 2 consists of two parts: the first is a pair of interactive sound sculptures in the Reception Room; the second part is the singing bowl in the Banquet Main Space. In accordance to keeping Level 2 an analog space, all electrical equipment was avoided including the use of speakers, hence why the sound was created through physical objects.

The sound installation consists of a pair of kinetic sound sculptures and were played by the performers while the audience entered the Reception Room.

The sound installation consists of a pair of sound sculptures, and were played by the performers; Opposite: Performance interacting with sound installation; Photo by Xiyuan Wang.

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A gentle and continuous sound needed to be achieved by producing sound using friction instead of percussion. Through experimentation and exploration, we decided upon using sound made by the steel tube sliding on the steel wire. In terms of configuration, we referred to a selection of illustrations and buildings to help build the atmosphere.

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Photo by Xiyuan Wang.

Photo by Xiyuan Wang.

Photo by Xiyuan Wang.

After determining the required timbre, we found that similar sounds could be heard in some examples of meditation treatment music and taking inspiration from this research we decided to use the singing bowl as the source of creating sound in main space.

By playing the singing bowl in two different ways, the instrument creates two kinds of sound. The two sounds switch between the corresponding scenes.

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During the dormancy times, the performer hits the singing bowl randomly; while during the entertainment times the performer goes to the booth and swirls the stick against the bowl to make sound for the audience.

It was a special experience to design the sound by making installation objects and performing the installation and instruments during the event. Designing and model making were important aspects of the process however more essential was experimenting with how to accurately shape the atmosphere through relatively simple sounds, thinking about how the installation functions, and how to combine this with performer’s actions to achieve a complementary effect.

Though out the whole sound design process, we didn’t only work within the parameters of the sound department, but also communicated frequently with the spatial department, and the performers; it was a positive, inter-professional, multidisciplinary, collaborative working experience.

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Department Result CHOREOGRAPHY DESIGN MENU COURSE ENTREE Your Entree this evening will consist of a dance/music/spoken word performance.

Please write three words that describe your understanding of POWER as an: Emotion, Texture and Colour.

The performer will interpret these commands into a bespoke performance for your entertainment.

Your next Artefact will also be created in response to these commands.

MENU COURSE

EMOTION

TEXTURE

COLOUR

strength HOPE desire calm Rage, fear, love LOVE pride FEAR FEAR AGGRESSION Free Fury

roughness SMOOTH metal dense Iron, porphyry, Velcro GOLD smooth SOFT PRICKLY ROUGH Intangible/ Fluid Great waves

yellow/red RED red black Black, White, Azure BLACK Gold BLACK BLOOD RED RED Transparent Red & black

Refer to the images

Your Main Course this evening will consist of a dance/music/spoken word performance. Please draw [in the space provided] a mark/line/drawing that portrays your understanding of PRIVILEGE.

DESSERT Your Dessert this evening will consist of a dance/music/spoken word performance.

Please circle the number between 1 – 10 (where 1 represents least and 10 represents most in control) that represents how in CONTROL you feel for: The performers and for yourself

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In response to the Menu served to the privileged guests on LV2, the audience is presented the task to answer a series of questions designed to prompt reflection regarding privilege, power and control, qualities identified as underlying to the concept of 2121.2.1.0. The questions require the audience to express their thoughts through the actions of: writing and attributing words to describe emotion, texture and colour to the notion of power; drawing or mark making to portray their idea of privilege; and are asked to analyse and rate on a numerical scale their perception of control in regards to themselves and to the performers.

The Menu also serves as an order form given to the entertainers on LV2 who move sequentially between the 4 booths set within The Lounge, in a choreographed design. The entertainers respond to the Menu orders, interpreting the commands into their artform in a quick, spontaneous fashion, and then perform either a bespoke dance, music or spoken word piece to each guest within the privacy of their booth.

MAIN

MENU COURSE

MENU RESPONSE LV2 The Lounge

RATING FOR: PERFORMER

RATING FOR: AUDIENCE

5 6 8 6 2

4 6 4 4 3,4,5,7,9

The carbon copy of the Menu order is simultaneously sent downstairs to The Workshop on LV2 and given to the Workers in order to prompt the making of the Artefacts, which later delivered and served to the privileged guests.

Practiclly, the Menu is a participatipatory art strategy, a series of designed activities utilised as a way to engage the audience, define their role within the performance and to generate creativity and encourage active reflection as pertianing to the concept of 2121.2.1.0.

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ARTEFACTS LV1 The Workshop In response to the Menu orders from the privileged guests on LV2, Artefacts were creared in The Workshop on LV1 by the audience members in the role of workers.

The Artefact designs take inspiration from natural forms i.e. “a rare leaf� linking to the background narra-tive where nature is faced with extinction, and as a result artificial natural forms are highly valued. Conceptually, the act of producing Artefacts during the performance is a designed element to generate creative thought, a resource which can be harvested and served to the privileged. Practiclly, producing the Artefacts is a participatipa-tory art strategy, a series of activities utilised as a way to engage the audience, define their role within the performance and to generate creativity and active reflection.

Simple to create, the Artefacts are made from elements of prepared aluminium wire, aluminium foil and tracing paper. Three resulting Artefacts are dis-played in the adjacent images. The lack of verbal direction from the Workshop Instructors forces the audience to pay close attention to the performed actions, hence the Artefacts are produced based upon choreographed hand movement. Each Artefact becomes unique after the first couple of steps, as the audience is given the platform and structure to start with yet is allowed room for individu-alised creativity; an important aspect which reinforces the concept of 2121.2.1.0.

The coordination, delivery of Menu orders and serving of Artefacts, between LV1 and LV2 is a choreophed design in itself, and ensures the system of 2121.2.1.0 runs fluently.

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SUMMARY The Choreography design for 2121.2.1.0 was complex, required alot of planning, testing and revising, and can be recognised as an example of multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary work that included: collaboration with choreography and dance students from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Dance; a participatory art strat-egy that comprising of 2 designed workshops aimed to engage and include the audience within the perfor-mance; choreographed movement in response to the analogue sound producing sculptures located in the Reception on LV2; rehearsed choreographed spatial sequencing between booths in The Lounge, LV2 and practiced ritualistic movements; spontaneous choreography in response to the Menu orders in the form of dance, music and spoken word performances on LV2; choreographed Artefact creation on LV1 at the Work Stations and interaction with the spatial design; the coordination between all performers and audience be-tween LV1 and LV2; and the culmination of the pre-rehearsed choreographed design for the performance fi-nale, the Rebellion, in The Workshop including interaction with the spatial structural and video installations.

The event 2121.2.1.0. was deemed to be a success. The outcome was measured upon received positive response from the attendees who expressed that their experience of LV1 and LV2 created opposing atmo-spheres; the roles and activities were thought provoking in alignment with our concept; and that ultimately this event was extremely relevant to the current context of Covid-19. Lack of audience members due to Covid-19 was disappointing and meant that our event was not able to be realised to its full capacity howev-er as a result a sense of intimacy was achieved, the audience felt like they played a valuable role within the performance and that their opinion was heard. If we had additional rehearsal time, or were more organised as a group the timing and sequencing of all of the elements would have become more efficient; and the LV2 performers would become more familiar with interpreting the Menu order commands. The activities taking place on LV1 and LV2 felt well realised overall up until the section of the Rebellion and merging of the 2 audience groups on LV1, where the audience members suddenly had no role to play and became spectators to a rehearsed performance.

The overall narrative, choreography and audience roles would ben-efit from further development; and the responses to and outcomes of the Menu can be analysed and used to inform further participatory art strategies, research surveys and artistic workshops.

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Department Result MANAGEMENT

During the event days, detailed event day schedules were shared among all AAIS team members, including the tutors and external collaborators.

On the first day, one full run and one dress rehearsal was carried out with feedback and debriefing. The final technical setup and check was carried out with the invited DJ and live performance. During the event, AAIS team members were also assigned different roles to ensure the event would be run efficiently.

After the event, we received feedback from tutors regarding aspects of the performance to improve for the second day. On the second day, text voice-over was added into welcoming area ambient sound; the audience were brought to the Workshop on Level 1 in two rounds instead of three; the interactive part of the performance was extended so that at least two courses of the banquet menu on Level 2 could be served; and the two ends of the space were lit up for the performers.

The “rebellion� performance and ending were also modified, resulting in the Level 2 performers inhabiting the space within the wood installation. Positive feedback was received regarding the improved performance on the second day.

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Credits AAIS 2019/20 Team: Yihan Bai Elyssa Sykes-smith Patarita Tassanarapan Jie Wang Xiyuan Wang Yuan Xiang Yixin Ye Seoyoun Yun Kexin Zhang AAIS Tutors: Programme Director: Theo Lorenz Programme R&D: Tanja Siems Studio Master: David McAlmont Studio Tutor: Argyris Angeli Workshop & Seminar Tutors: Mona Camille, Andrew Dean, Malgorzata Dzierzon, Andreia Garcis, Heiko Kalmbach, Kyriaki Nasioula, Joel Newman, Patricia Okenwa, Noa Segev, Hila Shemer, Renaud Wiser Event Production: Noa Segev, Mona Camille Collaborators: Dance and Choreography: Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, MA/MFA Choreography Choreographer/Performer: Robbie Bird, Ting-Ning Wen Performer: Tuesdae Houston, Franziska Bรถhm, Pin-Hsin Wang, Elyssa Sykes-Smith, Jie Wang, Kexin Zhang Costume design: Jing Xu Live music: Alexandros Makedonas Live performance: Katie Burks (choreographer), Axelle De Groote (Performer), Isaac Banks (Performer) DJ: Max Bentler Audiovisual Consultants: Joel Newman, Thomas Parkes In kind support: Camden Market, Lab Tech 40

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SOLO DIALOGUES AAIS PHASE I JUNE EVENT

Festival Statement “Solo Dialogues” manifests as a participatory performance event crossing over London, Seoul and Shanghai, transcending physical and virtual, in reflection of our current global environmental situation - the worldwide Covid-19 epidemic.

The event is to be experienced through physical galleries as well as virtual platforms. Two distinct experiences are curated for audiences participating in the same event, exploring the relationship between “unprivileged” and “privileged” through the notion of production and consumption, addressing the inequality of power exposed and exacerbated under the influence of coronavirus.

Who is in control? Who has choice, power and freedom? Who is serving, who is being served, and for what purpose? When centralized control is the most effective in navigating a disaster, when personal freedom needs to be sacrificed for personal safety, to what extend should power be granted? To what extend should freedom be allowed?

The “privileged” experience is to be offered a series of tailored, bespoke contents in Shanghai and Seoul galleries, while the “unprivileged” experience presents itself as an online workshop producing contents serving as backdrops in the physical galleries. No explicit interaction happens between the two, but the production from “unprivileged” route feeds into the atmospheric experience of the gallery space for the “privileged” to enjoy, and likely, to be oblivious to.

The contents being produced and served address humanity’s loss of connection to our environment, to nature, and to one another particularly under current circumstances, focusing on reestablishing those connections for the “privileged” audience. The two experiences are not presented as one having direct power over the other, but more so exist in parallel to illustrate that there is no rigid dichotomy dividing people into two opposing groups. The concepts of “privileged” and “unprivileged” is relative and ever-changing.

Solo Dialogues Human-Nature Performance at NextMixing Gallery, Shanghai; Photo by Kexin Zhang.

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Pre-event Interviews & Workshops TOUCH

Workshop Task Instructions:

Touch is a participatory art and documentation project consisting of a public engagement program of interviews and workshops discussing privilege and intimacy within the context of Covid-19.

(Please find a location where you have comfortable personal space; and that is not noise polluted)

The interviews and workshops operate under the topic of privilege in the context of Covid-19, exploring individual experiences and perceptions of Human-to-Human, Human-to-Nature, and Human-to-Space relationships. The one-to-one approach of the interviews is designed to create a sense of intimacy which is further manifested through the central approach of physical touch throughout the workshops including interaction with physical materials in their environment such as the body, natural and artificial objects, and the architectural space. The participants engage in the disciplines of dialogue, ASMR sound creation and recording, and video recording.

The three videos present a collation of the workshop recordings under the categories of Human-to-Human, Human-to-Nature, and Human-to-Space relationships; and include a selection of quotes derived from the interviews, overlaid onto the imagery.

Thank-you to all of the participants for your time, consideration and artistic contribution to this project. Participants include: Maria Anastassiou, Yang-En Hume, Tekla Geodon, Robin Hunt, Nigel Christensen, James Hudson, Selina Mayer, Portia Kamons, Sophie Fletcher Watson, Harsha Durugadda, Madeleine Kate McGowan, Mirco Elhers, Ruth Sykes, Philip Meadowcroft, Mary Watson, Barry Martin, Gary Grealy, Barry Martin, and others who wish to remain anonymous.

Interview Questions:

Pre-event workshop; Photo from video taken by Tekla Gedeon.

Next pages: Pre-event workshop; Video and text from Tekla Gedeon, Barry Martin, Madeleine Kate McGowan, Harsha Durugadda, Nigel Christensen, Gary Grealy, Portia Kamons, Harsha Durugadda, Elyssa Sykes-Smith, Maria Anastassiou, Selina Mayer, Yang En Hume, and those who wish to remian anonymous.

1. Please define the word: Privilege. Do not refer to a dictionary, I am interested to hear your own personal understanding and definition of Privilege.

2. HUMAN : HUMAN Within the context of Covid-19, could you please reflect on and describe your experience of human-to-human interaction? Do you perceive your experience as privileged?

3. HUMAN : NATURE Within the context of Covid-19, could you please reflect on and describe your experience of human-to-nature interaction? Do you perceive your experience as privileged?

4. HUMAN: SPACE Within the context of Covid-19, could you please reflect on and describe your experience of human-to-space interaction? Do you perceive your experience as privileged?

The following activities are focused towards physical touch. Your task is to generate and record ASMR sounds and video footage featuring your hand engaging in the interaction. Follow the instructions listed in each section and refer to the video attachments. Please do not be intimidated by the tasks (they do not have to be professional quality); try to use the experience to actively reflect, explore and have fun!!!

1. HUMAN : HUMAN Please locate an area of your body that you feel brings you a sense of connection when you interact with it (for example: I find massaging moisturiser into my feet comforting and connecting especially when I am devoid of physical contact with others), or (for example: twisting your hair).

2. HUMAN : NATURE Please locate an aspect of nature within your home environment and interact with it using your hand.

Using your imagination, please select a human-made material within your place of residence that you can use to create a sound with your hand, that imitates a sound from nature (for example: crinkling and scrunching a plastic bag to recreate the sound of rain).

3. HUMAN : SPACE Please locate an aspect within your interior spatial environment that you regularly interact with during the Covid-19 period. Your task is to engage with this interior spatial element using physical touch (your hand), and to create gestures that appear as if you are caring for your interior environment.

NOTE: (for all of the above) ASMR Sound: Please engage in the interaction, and now, without speaking turn on your smart phone audio recorder and record the sound of this interaction.

60 seconds approx. per sound clip.

Video: Continuing with this interaction, please turn on your smart phone video and record. 60 seconds approx. per video.

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Department of Interconnctedness Description

Statement

The Workshop in Department of Interconnectedness is a curated experience within the Solo Dialogues event, in the form of a Microsoft Teams meeting. The experience is designed to be a comment on living without privileges within our current societal structure, particularly under the Covid-19 pandemic.

Which is more privileged, being able to go out or having to stay in? Who has more freedom, those in Milan protesting the mandatory quarantine or those in Texas whose Governor advocated “Let’s go back to work … don’t ruin the American dream”[1] at the rise of the epidemic? The concepts of power and freedom have become ever so elusive under a virus outbreak that demands centralized control, making us wonder if we ever had either to begin with.

Participants enter the Teams meeting via an invitation link and are muted and made “attendees.” A pre-produced video of 28 minutes is played through shared screen, to instruct the audience members in specific tasks. Following the instructions in the video, participants create and upload the materials required into the Teams chats. They are given the illusion that they are being upgraded to a better room by completing the tasks, when in reality there are only three rooms - they have been stuck within a cycle of production from the start.

The Department of Interconnectedness is a satirically constructed fictional department designed to produce “connections” for the “privileged.” Three rooms produce three different types of connections – between human and human, between human and nature, and between human and the space they occupy. An architectural form was designed in reference to a modernist Panopticon, with a centralized tower intersecting the three rooms, the intersections becoming the screens giving out instructions. The video is made through the means of animation and physical modeling, with team members constructing scaled models in different geographical locations and filming inside them.

A scaled model of the Department of Interconnectedness is exhibited in the NextMixing Gallery in Shanghai throughout the duration of the event. The model displays three screens, one for each room, from a surveillance perspective. The “privileged” audience in the gallery sees only a model, while that model consists of the entirety of the unprivileged experience.

The video content and voiceover script are created by Yihan Bai, Yuan Xiang and Kexin Zhang, voiced over by Elyssa Sykes-Smith. The edited soundtrack is originally done by Patarita Tassanarapan for the AAIS March Event 2121.2.1.

The physical world has come to a halt, with populations after populations being confined at home, forced to simply move on with a new routine in the mist of chaos, trapped in a haze of what has changed and what has not. But there is no time to react; production doesn’t wait. Production is what keeps the world running. Production is what keeps the power alive. Production of masks, production of media, production of whatever is needed to keep the cycle of consumption going.

What are we producing? Who are the products serving? Is it acknowledged? Are we contributing to a vicious cycle? Are we contributing to a world that doesn’t recognize us? Can the playing fields ever be even, if we’re not playing the same game?

What is the point?

Today, we ask the questions. Tomorrow, we re-join the production. Another screw in the machine, another brick in the wall. After all, can we afford not to?

[1] Cillizza, Chris. What Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick misses so, so badly in his ‘let’s get back to work’ pledge. CNN. March 24, 2020. https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/24/politics/dan-patrick-texas/index.html Accessed May 17, 2020.

Department of Interconnectedness Scaled Model at NextMixing Gallery, Shanghai.

Photo by Kexin Zhang.

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Frames from Video

Voiceover Script

Frames from Video

Audience

(Intro) You are entering the Department of Interconnectedness.

Welcome back. Your daily effort is essential for the global wellbeing under this humanitarian crisis.

See the door there?

It would be your next destination.

An opportunity for promotion.

A chance to change the world to a greater extend.

(open)

00:07:16

Those of you who failed to comply will now be kicked out.

Those of you who completed the task will be promoted to Room H2N1.

Congratulations and Good luck.

See you.

00:07:45

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(end)

00:04:08

You now have 3 minutes to complete the task.

Open the chat box, and type in your letter.

[You have 2 minutes left.]

[You have 1-minute left.]

[You have 30 seconds left.]

[You have 10 seconds left.]

[5. 4. 3. 2. 1. Your time is up.]

Waiting for the next room

Move your mouse and click on the third button from the right to open the meeting chat.

You have been tasked to write a letter to someone you have not contacted in a while.

Someone from who you have disconnected.

Someone whose name has been lost in your contact list.

Write a letter to them.

Write a letter from the bottom of your heart.

Use the power of language to foster that connection back to life.

Listen to Instructions on the Human-Human task

You are now entering Room H2H1.

We construct a Community of Shared Future for Mankind, moving forward together in this brand-new era.

You will shoulder the mission and responsibility, right in the chat box.

Move your mouse and click on the third button from the right to open the meeting chat.

You have been tasked to write a letter to someone you have not contacted in a while.

Someone from whom you have disconnected.

Someone whose name has been lost in your contact list.

Write a letter to them.

Write a letter from the bottom of your heart.

Use the power of language to foster that connection back to life.

Write their letters in the chat, and send

Keep on writing Keep on feeling Keep on rebuilding those connections you once had For your sake and ours Otherwise you will not move forward.

00:01:30

But here, we rebuild those connections.

Here, we help those in the prisons of isolation.

Here, we revive the interconnectedness that is, and has always been, the core of humanity.

To be one with others.

To be one with nature.

To be one with the world.

Audience

(loop for 3 minutes)

Introduced

As we become more and more detached from those around us, disconnected from mother nature, and disengaged from our built environments, we must recognize that the coronavirus pandemic is no longer simply a public health crisis, but a humanitarian one, threatening to cut us off from the rest of the world.

Voiceover Script

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Frames from Video

Voiceover Script

Frames from Video

Audience

(open)

Voiceover Script (loop for 3 minutes) Is it plastic bag or heavy rain?

Once you have recorded your creation, Open the meeting chat, find the “attach” button to upload your unique piece of nature.

Is it tap water or waterfall?

Once you have recorded your creation, Open the meeting chat, find the “attach” button to upload your unique piece of nature.

Listen to Instructions on the Human-Nature task

[There are 2 minutes left.]

[There is 1-minute left.]

[There are 30 seconds left.]

[Time is up.]

00:15:20

(end) Content Gotham Book 9 Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum

00:15:52

00:10:07

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We appreciate your efforts.

Those of you whose results are less than satisfactory will be demoted to Room H2H1.

Those of you who completed the task will be promoted to Room H2S1.

Congratulations and Good luck.

See you.

Waiting for the next room

Once you have recorded your creation, Open the meeting chat, find the “attach” button, and upload your unique piece of nature.

Together, we grow forests, we channel rivers, we turn on the stars.

Together, we understand, we create, we connect.

Is it sugar or the forest?

Once you have recorded your creation, Open the meeting chat, find the “attach” button, and upload your unique piece of nature.

Recording their sounds, and uploading to the chat

Welcome. You are now entering Room H2N1.

You contribute to the creation of our nature.

You contribute to a nature that’s unprecedented, A nature that’s sustainable and diverse, For as long as human beings exist.

Close your eyes, and search for a natural sound in your mind.

Listen to that sound.

Imagine that sound.

Now look around, and find any objects, surfaces, materials in your current environment Try and re-produce the sound you have just imagined.

Record your audio clip for less than 20 seconds.

ATTENTION: Natural elements are not allowed for use in this production.

ATTENTION: Natural elements are not allowed for use in this production.

Audience

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Frames from Video

Voiceover Script

Frames from Video

Audience

(loop for 3 minutes)

Welcome. You are now entering Room H2S1.

You have been trusted to assume the responsibility of utmost importance, To fix the broken connection between us and the space we occupy.

It is a connection so often overlooked, A connection we took for granted.

How often do you think about every single detail that went into constructing this space?

Every brick, every frame, every brush of paint.

How often do you think about the stories it hosted, the history it witnessed?

A dent, a scar, a stain.

(end)

Recorded the video for less than 10 seconds.

Open the meeting chat, find the “attach” button, and upload your re-found connection with your space.

00:22:48

We appreciate your bravery to take on this crucial task.

Those of you whose videos are less than satisfactory will be demoted to Room H2N1.

Those of you who exceled in the completion will be promoted to Room H2H2.

Congratulations and Good luck.

See you.

00:23:24

00:19:07

Waiting for the next room

Look around the space you are in now, and really look at it.

Find a detail, and put your skin to the surface.

Use your hand to appreciate, to connect, and use your phone to record the process.

[1-minute left on the timer.]

[30 seconds left on the timer.]

[Time is up for submission.]

Listen to Instructions on the Human-Space task

How can we be oblivious to our surroundings?

How can we think of the spaces that hosted us, nurtured us, protected us, as our prisons?

It is up to you now, to save this sacred connection.

Recorded the video for less than 10 seconds.

Open the meeting chat, find the “attach” button, and upload your re-found connection with your space.

Audience

Recording their video, and uploading to the chat

(open)

Look around the space you are in now.

Are you really seeing it?

How often do you think about every single detail that went into constructing this space?

Every brick, every frame, every brush of paint.

How often do you think about the stories it hosted, the history it witnessed?

A dent, a scar, a stain.

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Voiceover Script

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Frames from Video

Voiceover Script

You are needed for our future One blessed with harmony and unity.

You are needed for the new world One where all is interconnected, where all is one.

00:26:48

(end)

Jie Wang [6/5 8:39 PM] dear xiaohan, how are you? i’m in uk, while thinking about the time we had together 6 years ago in Sheffield.

00:24:31

(surveillance video flashes)

Interrupted

You are needed (system breakdown) You are needed You are needed You are needed

Audience Submitted Letters in Room H2H1 Letters to someone one has lost touch with

Listen to Instructions

Hello and welcome to Room H2H1.

You are essential for the construction a Community of Shared Future for Mankind, You are vital for us to moving forward in this brand-new era.

You will shoulder the mission and responsibility, right in the chat box.

Audience

Theo Lorenz [6/5 8:40 PM] Hello Long time that we have not seen each other.

We were just talking about you five and who you are new with all kids probably all grown up

Elyssa Sykes-smith [6/5 8:40 PM] Dear Romeo, I miss you. I had a dream about you the other night. You were snuggled up with me under the blankets, pressed close against my chest. I felt the warmth of your body against mine and more than that, I felt the warmth inside of me blossom when I think about how much I care for you. I hope you are okay, wherever you are. I miss you. Elyssa x

Mona Camille [6/5 8:41 PM] Dear Stephanie, I hope you are well and that you are doing okay in these times. It’s been a while since we spoke.... I’ve heard from the family that you are doing well for yourself and have started working in law now? I hope you’re keeping safe and managing to find some positivity in these times. Hope to hear from you soon! Mona

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Yihan Bai [6/6 8:11 PM] hi, hope you’re safe. we said we wouldn’t lose touch but i guess that didn’t happen. wherever you are, i hope you’re happy, even if we never see each other again.

Argyris Angeli [6/6 8:12 PM] Dear Natasa, I missed you. I remember that text I read in Primary school. I imagined myself meeting you when I am older to tell you about my life. You are the reason I am an artist.

Yuan Xiang [6/6 8:14 PM]

Hila Shemer [6/7 8:11 PM]

Argyris Angeli [6/7 8:11 PM] Dear M, We went out of touch relatively recently but I think of you every single day. I can’t be in touch with you nor I ever will be I think. I am sorry and I love you.

Andy Dean [6/7 8:19 PM] Dear Rob I hope that you are staying safe and well and that lockdown has not been too negative an experience for you. Hope to hear from you soon. Best Andy

Dear G, Want to meet you.

Yuan

Nerma Cridge [6/6 8:15 PM] Dear Calvin, hope we can connect again it’s been ages since we last spoke and since our trip to Pyongyang. I keep thinking of all the emptiness we saw there, now that many of London’s previously crowded places are just as eerily empty. Hope to see you soon at least online.

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Audience Submitted Sound Clips in Room H2N1

Audience Submitted Video Clips in Room H2S1

“natural sounds” created from interior environments

hands caressing details of their environments

“Breath” by Renaud Wiser

“Sea wave” by Jie Wang

“Waves” by Argyris Angeli

“Unique piece of nature“

by Mona Camille

“Wave” by Theo Lorenz

“Glass“ by Patarita Tassanarapan

Scan QR codes to listen to the sound files

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Opposite (Left to Right, Top to Bottom): From videos submitted during Departmen of Interconnectedness Workshop Room H2S1; Photo from videos by Theo Lorenz, Jie Wang, Mona Camille, Elyssa Skyes-Smith, Yihan Bai, Theo Lorenz, Renaud Wiser, Argyris Angeli, Mona Camille, Yuan Xiang, Yihan Bai, Jie Wang, Hila shemer, Hila shemer, Theo Lorenz.

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Photo by Kexin Zhang.

Power and Safety

Positions The entire experience of the Department of Interconnectedness Workshop is being trapped within the model, and the “privileged” audience is able to see it as a model, in real scale. The videos playing on the screens are surveillance videos of the three rooms - H2H1, H2N1, and H2S1. The placement of the scaled model in 62

Photo by Kexin Zhang.

the gallery positions our audience members into two groups – those watching, and those being watched; those outside, and those inside.

Being inside and being outside, whether or not either is more privileged has become a delicate subject since the virus outbreak and the subsequent quarantine policies in different countries. Our message isn’t necessarily that being able to be outside is considered a privilege, but that the concept of such privilege is

impossible to grasp without political context. Is it a privilege to be outside, if every single shred of your privacy is gathered as state information in order to achieve that? Are you willing to sacrifice freedom for freedom?

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A Conversation Between London and Shanghai A conversation between privileged and unprivileged is a video project in the Human to Space part of the 3-day event. The conversation happens from the perspective of space in the context of Covid-19 with three screens physically set in galleries in Shanghai, China and Seoul, Korea.

The conversation is created with the contrast between London and Shanghai and audience engagement methods to discuss what is privileged responding to the Covid-19 situation. A recorded video around 20 minutes is illustrating the urban situation in London during lockdown as the looping content on the first screen. On the third screen is a derive livestream around 1 hour in Shanghai on social media platform to show the city life getting out of Covid-19 situation. The audience watching the livestream either online or in the gallery participate as the privileged to give instructions and orders to the control the direction, distance and other activities. For the rest of time on the screen is a recorded derive performance in Shanghai with the outcome of pre-interview. A video on the middle screen which includes contents from pre workshop illustrates the concept and emotion as the supporting element for the conversation. The ambient sound collecting from cities creates an immersive environment in the gallery.

Top: Human-Space Installation at Dsk Gallery, Seoul; Photo by Seoyoun Yun. Bottom: Human-Space installation at NextMixing Gallery, Shanghai.

Photo by Kexin Zhang.

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A Conversation Between London and Shanghai

Screen 1 Recorded London video The recorded London urban landscape video on screen 1 is a poetic documentary video around 20 minutes, telling the story of the urban life in London during lockdown due to Covid-19. It was a recorded city derive from first-person perspective. Stores were closed and streets were empty. The energy of urban 66

life totally disappeared. As an international student from China, it was struggling and homesick during this hard period being physically in London, especially when my hometown was about to recover from the situation.

A sense of psychological imbalance was expressed in the video that “I” had chance to go back to the “privileged” country but experienced an “unprivileged” life in a different one. I walked alone in this empty city, witnessing the historic moment. Because of the social distancing policy, the lens built a silent conversa-

tion between me and my friend as we were physically away each other. All as the foreigners on this land, we just all witnessed silently what was happening in the city.

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Pre-workshop video

A Conversation Between London and Shanghai

Screen 2 Pre workshop video

Screen 3 Recorded Shanghai Derive

The pre workshop video on screen 2 shows a link with other pieces under the whole event framework. The continuity exists from Human to Space part of Elyssa’s pre workshop and interview series as a part of audience engagement. The outcome was visualized into text, image and video as supporting materials 68

to the project concept. A vague emotion was expressed as the transition from the London video to Shanghai video and derive livestream.

What does the urban life look like during lock-down? How will the urban life change after the lockdown end? A first-perspective documentation will tell you the story of the urban life in London during lockdown. Simultaneously, a Shang hai city derive will be on screen, live streaming. As a privileged guest, you can

give instructions and orders to the control the live streaming camera direction, the distance and other activities. Followed by a derive urban performance in Shanghai reflects the life after lockdown.

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Shanghai derive livestream

Human-Space Soundtrack

Ambient Sound Duration: 7:32 (Loop) Screen 3.2 Shanghai derive livestream The highlight of the whole conversation happened during the derive livestream in Shanghai to see the urban life getting recovered from the COVID-19 situation.

Audience were invited to give orders to the performer on the livestream plat 70

form to have a privileged experience. The conversation took place while the contrast went to the extreme.

The soundtrack for this event is composed as ambient music for the first-day exhibition in Seoul and Shanghai. The sound event conveys the solitude feeling of being in the empty city during the coronavirus pandemic. There is a field recorded noise of the London city played slightly in the background. The music

is designed to play in a loop composed with the video installation showing the documentation of London during the lockdown period and a film of psychological choreography from citizen’s emotions in China.

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A Conversation Between London and Shanghai in Shanghai

Three layers of fabric were hung following a Z-shape in the Shanghai gallery space. The translucent fabrics were projected with several recorded videos and live-streaming contents that created a conversation beyond time and distance in

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the space. Audience felt free to join in and explore the conversation atmosphere at any time.

A Conversation Between London and Shanghai in Seoul

Human-Space exhibiton in Dsk Gallery, Seoul; Photo by Seoyoun Yun. Opposite: Human-Space exhibiton at NextMixing Gallery, Shanghai; Photo by Kexin Zhang.

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A Walk from Hampstead Heath to Seoul Forest While we are social distancing, is it the time to reconsider the relationship that we have had with the natural environment? Remaining indoors has become an obligation during the occurrence of COVID-19 pandemic. The impact of the situation has shifted the way of living, the flow between the interior and exterior landscape.

A Walk from Hampstead Heath to Seoul Forest is a video installation that emphasises the connection of humans and the natural landscape outside where it was freely accessible. The videos present two walking journeys in the Hampstead Heath park in London and Seoul Forest in Seoul. The roaming route in London was curated by the poems written to describe the Hampstead Heath scenery in the past. It reflects on the path in Seoul Forest, which is curated

by Korean poems about nature. Finally, The content was interpreted and translated into performance by the choreographers in Seoul and Shanghai.

The video installation and live performance was exhibited in Seoul and Shanghai, and broadcasted through the video-sharing platform and archived on the website. It illustrates the international collaboration that could possibly happen upon the online network. Ultimately, the whole execution is aimed to reconnect the audience both online and offline to the appreciation in nature that we used to regularly get in touch.

Department Human-Nature of Interconnectedness performance at Scaled NextMixing Model at NextMixing Gallery, Shanghai.

Photo by Kexin Zhang.

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A Walk in Hampstead Heath

Hampstead Heath is one of the most popular public space in London. It comprises of woodland, grassland, and ponds. Some ponds in Hampstead Heath are open for public bathing, divided into men’s, women’s, and mixed bathing pond.

There are many ballads and novels inspired by this place. John Keats, the English romantic poet who lived near the park, also wrote many poems that narrate the scenes in Hampstead Heath. There are four poems and two novels about the Heath that were selected to translate into a curated path for filming. The video 76

of roaming in Hampstead Heath brings the audience to a poetic journey, passing through the diversity of nature, and narrates the scenery with poem reading voice-over by David McAlmont. It is aimed to remind the close relationship between humans and nature and rewind it back during the solitude state where people can merely remain indoors and watch the film.

Hampstead Heath Poems curated by Patarita Tassanarapan, read by David McAlmont 1. I stood tip-toe upon a little hill (1817) by John Keats 2. On Hampstead Heath with Women (1971) by Peter Straub 3. Naming the Clouds (2005) by Robert Cording 4. Description of Hampstead (1955) by Leigh Hunt 5. Epithalamion (1918) by Gerard Manley Hopkins 6. My Own World (2010) by Chiang Yee 77

Poems of Hampstead Heath

1.

John Keats I stood tip-toe upon a little hill, 1817

2.

Peter Straub On Hampstead Heath with Women, 1971

3.

Robert Cording Naming the Clouds, 2005

4.

Leigh Hunt Description of Hampstead, 1955

5.

Gerard Manley Hopkins Epithalamion, 1918

6.

Chiang Yee My Own World, 2010

I stood tip-toe upon a little hill, The air was cooling, and so very still.

That the sweet buds which with a modest pride Pull droopingly, in slanting curve aside, Their scantly leaved, and finely tapering stems, Had not yet lost those starry diadems Caught from the early sobbing of the morn.

The clouds were pure and white as flocks new shorn, And fresh from the clear brook; sweetly they slept On the blue fields of heaven, and then there crept A little noiseless noise among the leaves, Born of the very sigh that silence heaves: For not the faintest motion could be seen Of all the shades that slanted o’er the green.

There was wide wand’ring for the greediest eye, To peer about upon variety;

What we see of the world at any particular moment is only a fraction of the possible; like the hill before us now, a small tail-end bump of the Heath falling like the warm, patchy sunlight to the stream. …

There is a strange atmosphere of grief.

Something that is a quality of the air makes the pairs of lovers, couples in a distance down the green, the small thin-legged boy kicking a ball to father, seem less than our size, like figures in a screen.

Constable* thinned down his paints As if he believed they could move like clouds Across his paper, all energy, motion, and change.

On the back of each sketch, he wrote down The weather: Showery Wind N. Easterly, An acknowledgment of what could not be Painted- the clouds above Hampstead Heath That moved in their freedom beyond His will to capture them without narrowing Their perspective. All day, clouds have been Entering and leaving me as I ate, read a book, Cut the grass. Even now, writing this, They are here, though the sky has become One cloud and it is raining. If I knelt down As a farmer taught me and put my ear to The ground, I would hear the earths million Little mouths drinking in the sky - here, where The alchemy of clouds end, and begins.

A steeple issuing from a leafy rise, With farmy fields in front, and sloping green, Dear Hampstead, is thy southern face serene, Silently smiling on approaching eyes.

Within, thine ever-shifting looks surprise,— Streets, hills, and dells, trees overhead now seem, Now down below, with smoking roofs between,— A village, revelling in varieties.

Then northward, what a range,—with heath and pond, Nature’s own ground,—woods, that let mansions through, And cottaged vales with pillowy fields beyond, And clump of darkening pines, and prospects blue, And that clear path through all, where daily meet Cool cheeks, and brilliant eyes, and morn-elastic feet.

HARK, hearer, hear what I do; lend a thought now, make believe We are leafwhelmed somewhere with the hood Of some branchy bunchy bushybowered wood, …

War raged in Europe. On September 27, Germans overran Poland. Yee was on his way home when the words “Warsaw Falls” on a placard caught his eyes. …

*John Constable, a painter

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We are there, when we hear a shout That the hanging honeysuck, the dogeared hazels in the cover Makes dither, makes hover And the riot of a rout Of, it must be, boys from the town Bathing: it is summer’s sovereign good.

By there comes a listless stranger: beckoned by the noise He drops towards the river: unseen Sees the bevy of them, how the boys With dare and with downdolphinry and bellbright bodies huddling out, Are earthworld, airworld, waterworld through hurled, all by turn and turn about.

It felt unbearably confining and suffocating to remain indoors. Yee decided to take a walk to Hampstead Heath.

Yee loved to stroll along the ponds and in the meadows of Hampstead Heath, a popular green space only a few blocks away. He had discovered that it was an efficient way to shake off sadness and clear his mind. On September 30, he received three letters from China: one from Cai Fen in Chongqing; another from Chien-min in Bishan, Sichuan; and the third from his niece Jingrong in Shanghai. He had rarely heard from them since war broke out in China. …

Their letters, though exuberant with affection, brought more sorrow to his heart. His family was now scattered among several places, and remembering them inevitably invited sorrow.

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A Walk in Seoul Forest

A Walk in Seoul Forest video has a parallel experience of roaming into nature from two different locations, Hampstead Heath in London and Seoul Forest in Seoul.

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The route is curated regarding poems inspired by woods, hills, and ponds in the Hampstead Heath, which also resonates to a walk in Seoul. The video installation reveals an overlay of space and time, from past to present, from country to country.

Korean Poems curated by Seoyoun Yun, read by Min Kyoung Baek 1. Lying down on the hill by Young Lang Kim 2. A small fountain under the bush by Young Lang Kim 3. Spring Water by Dal Jin Kim

4. A Green Persimmon by Dal Jin Kim 5. The Sky by Chun Soo Kim 6. Nostalgia by Ji Young Jung

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Poems of Seoul Forest

1. 김영랑 언덕에 바로 누워

2. 김달진 샘물

3. 김달진 청시(靑枾)

4. 김영랑 수풀 아래 작은 샘

5. 김춘수 하늘

6. 정지용 향수

언덕에 바로 누워 아슬한 푸른 하늘 뜻없이 바래다가 나는 잊었읍네 눈물 도는 노래를 그 하늘 아슬하야 너무도 아슬하야 이 몸이 서러운 줄 언덕이야 아시련만 마음의 가는 웃음 한 때라도 없드라냐 아슬한 하늘 아래 귀여운 맘 질기운 맘 내 눈은 감기었네 감기었네

숲 속의 샘물을 들여다본다. 물 속에 하늘이 있고, 흰 구름이 떠 가고, 바람이 지나가고, 조그마한 샘물은 바다같이 넓어진다. 나는 조그마한 샘물을 들여다보며 동그란 지구의 섬 위에 앉았다.

유월의 꿈이 빛나는 작은 뜰을 이제 미풍이 지나간 뒤 감나무 가지가 흔들리우고 살찐 암록색(暗綠色) 잎새 속으로 보이는 열매는 아직 푸르다.

수풀 아래 작은 샘 언제나 흰구름 떠가는 높은 하늘만 내어다보는 수풀 속의 작은 샘 넓은 하늘의 수만 별을 그대로 총총 가슴에 박은 작은 샘 두레박을 쏟아져 동이 가를 깨지는 찬란한 떼별의 흩는 소 리 얼켜져 잠긴 구름 손결이 온 별나라 휘흔들어버리어도 맑은 샘 해도 저물녁 그대 종종걸음 훤듯 다녀갈 뿐 샘은 외로워도 그밤 또 그대 날과 샘과 셋이 도른도른 무슨 그리 향그런 이야기 날을 세웠나 샘은 애끈한 젊은 꿈 이제도 그저 지녔으리 이밤 내 혼자 나려가볼꺼나 나려가볼꺼나

언제나 하늘은 거기 있는 듯 언제나 하늘은 흘러가던 것 아쉬운 그대로 저 봄풀처럼 살자고 밤에도 낮에도 나를 달래던 그 너희들의 모양도 풀잎에 바람이 닿듯이 고요히 소리도 내지 않고 나의 가슴을 어루만지던 그 너희들의 모양도 구름이 가듯이 노을이 가듯이 언제나 저렇게 흘러가던 것

넓은 벌 동쪽 끝으로 옛이야기 지줄대는 실개천이 회돌아 나가고, 얼룩백이 황소가 해설피 금빛 게으른 울음을 우는 곳, 시---그곳이 참하 꿈엔들 잊힐 리야. 질화로에 재가 식어지면 뷔인 밭에 밤바람 소리 말을 달리고, 엷은 조름에 겨운 늙으신 아버지가 짚베게를 돋아 고이시는 곳, ---그곳이 참하 꿈엔들 잊힐 리야.

1.

Kim, Young Lang Lying down on the hill

2.

Kim, Dal Jin Spring Water

3.

Kim, Dal Jin A Green Persimmon

4.

Kim, Young Lang A small fountain under the bush

5.

Kim, Chun Soo The Sky

6.

Jung, Ji Young Nostalgia

Lying down on the hill, Looking at the very high blue sky without thinking, I forgot the song of tears because the sky is high, very high Only the hill understands my sadness but there was no time to laugh freely Under the high sky, sweetheart and joyful heart My eyes were closed, yes were closed.

I am looking into the spring water in the forest.

In the water, there is a sky, a white cloud floats, the wind passes, and a small spring water widens out like the sea.

I am sitting on an island of the round earth looking into the small spring water.

Small courtyard where the dreams of June shine Now after the breeze has passed, the persimmon branches are swayed.

The fruit with fertile dark green leaves are still green.

A small fountain in the bush, always looking up to the high sky with white clouds A small fountain filled with tens of thousands of stars in the wide sky in its center Pure fountain, even though beautiful hands stair the whole world of stars with the sound of scattering the stars by drawing water from the fountain with a bucket When the sun sets, even if you come and go, the fountain is lonely What a sweet day that three of them: the night, the day and the fountain had a friendly conversation The fountain keeps the sad and painful young dream Tonight, shall I go down and go down alone?

The sky always seems to be there The sky is always flowing Your shapes comforting me even at night and during the day to live just like a spring grass as it is, and your shapes comforting my heart quietly without making a sound as the wind touches the blades of grass, as the clouds flow and the sunset flows, the sky is always flowing

Toward the eastern end of great grand plains, Where stream meanders babbling its antique stories and a brindled cow moos slowly when the golden sunset glows Poem--- That place, how could I ever forget even in my dream?

When the ashes in the earthen fire bowl became cool, where the night wind in the empty field gallopped like a horse, and my sleepy father used to make his straw pillow propped a little bit and lay his head on it ---That place, how could I ever forget even in my dream?

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A Dream In A Short Spring Night

We collaborated with filmmaker and choreographer to display the choreography video which interacted with Hampstead Heath and Seoul Forest poetic journey.

The first video is a film by Korean filmmaker Jiun Shin. She worked with Korean choreographer and performer, Haero Kang, who also performed in the live event 84

A Performance Film

at Dsk Gallery. A Dream In A Short Spring Night displays the charismatic movement of a girl interacting with the wind, tree, and grass. Her performance immersed beautifully with the wild landscape in the backyard. This film was displayed in the exhibition in Dsk Gallery, Seoul, South Korea.

The second film was made by a Chinese choreographer Ying-Chi Lin. She designed the choreography amongst the wild natural environment in China. Her movement intrigued the audience’s perspective from the micro-scale with her

hands to the macro-scale with the landscape. This film was displayed on the second day of the Solo Dialogues event at Nextmixing, Shanghai, China.

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Performance Soundtracks Performance Scene 1 Duration: 13:50

00:00-04:33 The first part of the soundtrack is designed to convey the mood of being solitude space at the beginning. It resonates to the current pandemic situation that people have to social distance from each other.

04:34-07:18 The siren begins to warn the emergency signal. The warning is a transition to the next part where the sound disruption happens.

07:19-10:30 While the calming ambient sound is playing, there is a gradual disruption of the noise occurs. The noise was made by field recording at the Hampstead Heath. It was converted into a sample and composed as a glitch in the soundtrack. The noise from the reality interrupts the solitude atmosphere and brings the listeners to the outside environment.

00:00

04:34

07:19

10:31

13:50

10:31-13:50 After the disruption ends, the silence suddenly takes place. It comes with a Hi-Fi sound from the Hampstead Heath woods. The harmony of chirping birds plays in the ambient background. In the end, the holy tone of melody is composed to convey the perspective of reuniting with nature.

Performance Scene 2 Duration: 8:17

00:00

02:58

05:29

00:00-02:57 The beginning session of the second soundtrack expresses the emotion of mystery and excitement. The sound is designed to narrate the fearsome feeling of going out to the outdoors during the time that everyone is restricted to stay at home.

02:58-05:28 The field recorded sound in the park was converted into samples of birds chirping, people talking and walking. The samples were inserted in the track without a pattern to create the disruptive event. They are gradually evident by the passing of time and increasing volume.

08.17

05:29-08:17 The last part shows the occurrence of smooth musical texture, creating a profound feeling at the end. The sound event delivers the mood of turning back to nature after encountering the hardship.

Performance Scene 3 Duration: 7:00

00:00 86

06:12

07:00

00:00-06:11 The last soundtrack ultimately brings back to the original natural ambient sound. After experiencing dynamic sound events in the previous scenes, the final scene is aimed to present the truth of nature through hearing the sound that delicately recorded from the woodland.

06:12-07:00 At the last minute, the nature sound increases more intense volume before the track end, implying the release of freedom.

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A Walk from Hampstead Heath to Seoul Forest Exhibition in Shanghai

Human-Nature performance in Nextmixing Gallery, Shanghai; Photo by Kexin Zhang.

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A Walk from Hampstead Heath to Seoul Forest Exhibition in Seoul

Human-Nature performance in Dsk Gallery, Seoul; Photo by Seoyoun Yun.

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A Note Travels Ten Thousand Miles What is the relationship between human to human? Expanding the concept in Event 1, AAIS continuous the exploration on human’s prospect of life, in the era of highly developed technology and complex social hierarchy.

Under the Covid-19 pandemic, lots of countries and cities have been locked down. Travelling becomes harder. AAIS asks the question: How does it feel like being in this situation? The first thing comes to mind is: It is so hard to see your cared ones. Start from it, the team targets to create an event that can rebuild human to human relationship.

Digging deeper into the topic, the team wonders what is the main factor that stop people from maintain the relationship with their cared ones. Is it only the physical distance or there are more factors behind it? The short film “A note travels ten thousand miles” measures the distance physically and psychologically is made, to answer the question.

Inspired by the handwritten letters in the old time, AAIS wants to bring the warmness of human heart back to the audiences. It becomes the part 3 of the event, “My message for you, my friend”.

In the later stage of design, the performance “The distance between us” is added. Collaborating with external professionals in choreography and performance, the team challenges the distance through human body movement and expression. A dialogue between London and Shanghai is created and introduces multiply layers of art expression into the event.

Human-Human Performance at NextMixing Gallery, Shanghai.

Photo by Kexin Zhang.

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Part 1_A note travels ten thousand miles One step is 0.762 meters, 2.625 steps is social distancing. How many steps you need to reach your cared one?

The time difference between London and Shanghai is seven, between Shanghai and Seoul is one. How many hours you need to wait to hear your cared one?

In the last day of AAIS June Festival, audiences are invited to rethink the relationship between human to human, by watching a short film explore what is the real distance between human to human, ‘a story of a note travels ten thousand miles’. Followed by a live performance presenting ‘The distance between us”, and immersive echo of notes from the other side of the world, “My message for you, my friend”.

Short Film Scenes

Sound & Music Spectrum 20 ~ 2000Hz

Watch the short film: Short Film Scenes

Sound & Music Spectrum 20 ~ 2000Hz 92

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Part 2_The distance between us Part 2 of the day event is a global collaboration work between AAIS and international creators, with NMC as our choreography supervisor.

We tend to create a dialogues between countries and cities, regardless the time difference and physical distance.

Performance Video by Ting-ning Wen, recorded in London_Photos from Video

Performance Video by Andi Hu, recorded in Chongqing_Photos from Video

In the design stage, under the event framework provided by AAIS creator, Ting-ning Wen (London) and Andi Hu (Chongqing) joined the project. AAIS worked closely with this two choreographers and performers to explore what is the definition of distance, how distance feel like. The two choreographers challenged themselves on using body movement expressing their understanding of distance, and responding to each other without being in the same location and time zones.

Two recorded performance videos were made to exhibit in galleries. Both videos were played in Seoul gallery, while in Shanghai, Andi’s video was replaced by her brilliant live performance (See the “Exhibition in Shanghai” page for details)

Sound & Music spectrum 20 ~ 2000Hz

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Part 3_My Message for you, my friend The last part of the day event is a collection of notes from all around world. Participated by the friends of AAIS. The participants were writing to one of their friend who hasn’t been in contact with for a long time. Also their voice of reading the notes were played in both galleries. The notes were also printed out as postcard, became an invitation to the audiences to write their notes.

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Notes written by AAIS friends

Notes written by AAIS friends

Sound & Music spectrum 20 ~ 2000Hz

Sound & Music spectrum 20 ~ 2000Hz 97

A Note Travels Ten Thousand Miles Performance and Exhibition in Shanghai set up by Yihan Bai, Yuan Xiang, Kexin Zhang

Human-Human exhibition and live performance in Nextmixing Gallery, Shanghai; Photo by Kexin Zhang.

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A Note Travels Ten Thousand Miles Exhibition in Seoul set up by Seoyoun Yun

Human-Human exhibition and live performance in Dsk Gallery, Seoul; Photo by Seoyoun Yun.

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Public Relations

Digital Poster on display at NextMixing Gallery, Shanghai.

Photo by Kexin Zhang.

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Public Relations Scane the QR Code to watch the Solo Dialogues Teaser

Scane the QR Code to watch the Solo Dialogues Salon

Scane the QR Code to watch the Solo Dialogues Trailer

Solo Dialogues posters series; created by Patarita Tassanarapan.

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Top to Bottom, Left to Right:

AAIS Virtual Event Website We have created an online platform at http://aaisvirtualevent.com for announcing workshop at the specific times. The website will be active succeeding the event, the live event programme and providing access link to the online event. Online providing documentation as well as audience aubmitted materials from the workaudiences are led to website through public media posts or various AA public shop. channels, and from the website, they are able to join the live stream or the 104

Printed posters outside Nextmixing Gallery, Shanghai; Photo

by Yihan Bai. Digital poster at Nextmixing Gallery, Shanghai; Photo by Kexin Zhang.

Event Live-streaming rehearsal in Shanghai; Photo by Kexin Zhang.

Event Live-streaming rehearsal in Shanghai; Photo by Kexin Zhang.

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CONTENT CREDITS Pre-Event Workshop and Interview

Facilitated by: Elyssa Sykes-Smith

Participants include Maria Anastassiou, Yang-En Hume, Tekla Geodon, Robin Hunt,

Nigel Christensen, James Hudson, Selina Mayer, Portia Kamons, Sophie Fletcher

Watson, Harsha Durugadda, Madeleine Kate McGowan, Mirco Elhers, Ruth Sykes,

Philip Meadowcroft, Mary Watson, Barry Martin, Gary Grealy, Barry Martin,

and others who wish to remain anonymous.

Department of Interconnectedness

Department of Interconnectedness Workshop Video

Filmed & Edited by: Yihan Bai, Yuan Xiang, Kexin Zhang

Voiceover by: Elyssa Sykes-smith

Music by: Patarita Tassanarapan

Model in Nextmixing Gallery

Designed by: Yihan Bai, Yuan Xiang, Kexin Zhang

Constructed by: Kexin Zhang, Yuan Xiang

Model Surveillance Videos

Filmed by: Yihan Bai, Yuan Xiang, Kexin Zhang

Edited by: Yihan Bai A Conversation Between London and Shanghai (Seoul & Shanghai)

Recorded London Video

Filmed & Edited by: Xiyuan Wang

Pre-event Workshop Video

Filmed by: Pre-event Workshop participants

Edited by: Xiyuan Wang

Recorded Shanghai Derive Performance Video

Filmed & Edited by: Yixin Ye

Choreography & Performance by: Aiping Xu

Live -streaming Shanghai Derive

Live-streamed by: Yixin Ye

Sound Composition (in Gallery) by: Patarita Tassanarapan A Walk from Hampstead Heath to Seoul Forest (Seoul)

A Walk in Hampstead Heath

Filmed & Edited by: Patarita Tassanarapan

Sound Composition by: Patarita Tassanarapan

Voiceover by: David McAlmont

A Dream in a Short Spring Night

Filmed & Edited by: Jiun Shin

Sound Composition by: Patarita Tassanarapan

Choreography & Performance by: Haero Kang

A Walk in Seoul Forest

Filmed & Edited by: Seoyoun Yun

Sound composition by: Patarita Tassanarapan

Voiceover by: Min Kyung Baek

Choreography & Live Performance by: Haero Kang, Hui-Eun Lee A Walk from Hampstead Heath to Seoul Forest (Shanghai)

A Walk in Hampstead Heath

Filmed & Edited by: Patarita Tassanarapan

A Breeze in East Green Land

Choreography & Performance & Filming by: Ying-Chi Lin

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Edited by: Jie Wang

Voiceover by: David McAlmont

Sound Composition by: Patarita Tassanarapan

A Walk in Seoul Forest

Filmed & Edited by: Seoyoun Yun

Choreography & Live Performance by: Andi Hu A Note Travels Ten Thousand Miles (Seoul)

A Note Travels Ten Thousand Miles

Filmed and Edited by: Jie Wang

Sound Composition by: Jie Wang

Acting by: Jie Wang

The Distance Between Us Recorded Performance

Choreography & Performance & Filming by: Ting-Ning Wen

Filmed by: Yu-Chien Cheng

Edited by: Jie Wang

Sound Composition by: Patarita Tassanarapan

The Distance Between Us Recorded Performance

Choreography & Performance & Filming by: Andi Hu

Edited by: Jie Wang

Sound Composition by: Patarita Tassanarapan

My message for you, my friend

Special thanks to: Aayushi, Alessandra, Elle, Eunsoo, Fred,

Hyesun Yun, Jess, Kasia, Kexin, KG, Max, Nasha, Pheobe, Seoyoun,

Weiwei, Yiwen, Zoie (Alphabetised by Name)

Concept: Yihan Bai, Jie Wang (Alphabetised by Surname)

Edited by: Jie Wang

Sound Composition by: Jie Wang

A Note Travels Ten Thousand Miles (Shanghai)

A Note Travels Ten Thousand Miles

Filmed and Edited by: Jie Wang

Sound Composition by: Jie Wang

Acting by: Jie Wang

The distance Between Us Recorded Performance

Choreography & Performance & Filming by: Ting-Ning Wen

Filmed by: Yu-Chien Cheng

Edited by: Jie Wang

Sound Composition by: Patarita Tassanarapan

My message for you, my friend

Special thanks to: Aayushi, Alessandra, Elle, Eunsoo, Fred,

Hyesun Yun, Jess, Kasia, Kexin, KG, Max, Nasha, Pheobe, Seoyoun,

Weiwei, Yiwen, Zoie (Alphabetised by Name)

Concept: Yihan Bai, Jie Wang (Alphabetised by Surname)

Edited by: Jie Wang

Sound Composition by: Jie Wang

Choreography & Performance by: Andi Hu Gallery

Set-up Installation by:Seoyoun Yun (Seoul); Yihan Bai, Yuan Xiang, Kexin Zhang (Shanghai) Photography & Videography by: Seoyoun Yun (Seoul); Yihan Bai, Yuan Xiang, Kexin Zhang (Shanghai) Special thanks to: Young Gi Hong, Hongyong Kim, Seunghae Park, Jinsoo Bae, Hyesun Yun (Seoul) Tuo Lin, Shurong Liu (Shanghai)

Festival Credits AAIS 2019/20 Team: Yihan Bai Elyssa Sykes-smith Patarita Tassanarapan Jie Wang Xiyuan Wang Yuan Xiang Yixin Ye Seoyoun Yun Kexin Zhang (Alphabetised by Surname) AAIS Tutors: Programme Director: Theo Lorenz Programme R&D: Tanja Siems Studio Master: David McAlmont Curation: Andreia Garcia, Noa Segev, Hila Shemer Production: Argyris Angeli, Mona Camille, Kyriaki Nasioula Video & Dramaturgy: Heiko Kalmbach Audio-visual: Joel Newman Choreography: Malgorzata Dzierzon, Patricia Okenwa, Renaud Wiser Music: Andrew Dean (Alphabetised by Surname) Collaborator: In collaboration with Ting-ning Wen (choreographer and performer), from Trinity Laban MA/MFA in Choreography (Tony Thactcher) in London Choreographer & Performer in Seoul: Haero Kang, Hui-Eun Lee Choreographer & Performer in Shanghai: Andi Hu, Yingchi Lin (Yingchi Dance Theater), Aiping Xu Performers in London: Cien Li, Yihao Sun Poem Voice-Over: Min Kyung Baek, David McAlmont (Alphabetised by Surname) Special Thanks: JIUN (Video Content) Young Gi Hong, Hongyong Kim, Seunghae Park, Jinsoo Bae, Hyesun Yun (Seoul Gallery Set-up) Tuo Lin, Shurong Liu (Shanghai Gallery Set-up) In kind support: Architectural Association School of Architecture Architectural Association Interprofessional Studio Dsk Gallery, Seoul, South Korea NextMixing, Shanghai, China TwoSites http://twosites.org/

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AAIS PHASE II MFA PROJECTS

LAWIK BAKABA

NASHA BAHASOEAN Introduction

Lawik Bakaba is a series of interdisciplinary work which includes performance, exhibition, and workshop.

This multifaceted work combines live performance with installation, visual projection, film, and choreography. The name, Lawik Bakaba, is taken from Minang language, meaning The Story of The Sea. The performance ‘Randai’originated from Minangkabau (West Sumatra, Indonesia) traditions of martial arts, dance and percussion. It was performed by a team of dancers from London, UK and Padang, Indonesia.

From a social-cultural and political background, the event aims to raise awareness about the impact of plastic and other human wastes on the condition of the ocean by looking into the life of a minor community. The event also wanted to introduce and share some practical experience about Randai dance and the activity that happens in Padang, Indonesia to London community.

The story focuses on a fishing tradition called Maelo pukek, where fishers harvest fish with their fishing net in the shore. Nowadays, these fishermen are struggling to survive as they find more plastic waste than fish in their fishing nets. As a result, they have to manually separate all the plastics waste they found between the fish before selling them to make a living.

This event is the outcome of the collaborative work with Nan Jombang Dance Company, Sejauh Mata Memandang and Kausa team, Indonesia.

Lawik Bakaba, Scene 3 © 2020 NNB. Photographed by Abi Ismail;

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Lawik Bakaba live performance, scene 1 prologue.

Photographed by Abi Ismail.

Scene 1 - Prologue

Lawik Bakaba short film, duration 2.30 mins. The short videos were projected on the giant screen, and it shows how the fishers prepare to sail. They go to the sea with their mini boat and drop the pukek net along the way. In the end, the fishers came back, and with the other fishers group, they started to pull the nets.

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The full version of the film (3.30 mins) was shown later on in the exhibit. while in the performance the film was shown in a separate scene (scene 1 & 3).

Lawik Bakaba film shots, Produced by Kausa.

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Scene 2 - Pulling The Net The scene started right after the short clip finishes. It was set at the beach; one fisher started to sing, continuing the rhythm of saluang sound from the previous clip. She sings to call the other fisher to help to pull the pukek rope. Both fishers then sing a Minangkabau melody while dancing with a large scarf, which produced a similar sound to the ocean waves. The scene was decorated with projection video of Muaro Lasak Beach from the front view in the large screens 114

The screens open, one dancer mimicking the fishes, Lawik Bakaba © 2020 NNB. Photographed by Abi Ismail.

and the aerial view on the floor. Both fishers then started to tie their scarf into their waist, and pulled the pukek rope, to get their nets back. When the net gets closer, the giant screen split open to show what happens under the sea with pukek net. One dancer was dancing mimicking fishes who get stuck inside the net and trying to get out. In the end, she rolled over into the net and got carried into the beach with the rest of the fishes.

Scene 3 - Separating The net arrived at the beach, and the other fishers started to join. They bring large baskets and running into the net because of their excitement with the rest of the fisher. They danced, and play with their baskets for a while, deciding who should hold the basket and who should open the net. When the three fishers open the net, they realized that there are too many plastics inside. All fishers were shocked and sad. Two fishers ended up fighting each other because they

Fishers trying to decide who should hold the basket, Scene 3, Lawik Bakaba © 2020 NNB. Photographed by Abi Ismail.

can’t cope with the situation that their catch was very little. The others have no choice than to pick up the plastics that are stuck between the net holes, put them away, and put the fishes they found into one basket. Their net was destroyed because there are too many plastics stuck. The condition forces them to put some of the plastics in the other basket that’s supposed to be for the fishes.

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Scene 4 - Musyawarah As the beach gets very dirty because of the plastics fishers found, they tried to hang their nets to get a more unobstructed view of how badly it was damaged.

They put their fish baskets underneath the nets, as a sign that all the fish, belongs to the whole group. The fishers circled the nets hanged, and make several silek moves together. This act completed by a live vocal from all of them, which indicates how upset they are about the situation, but they need to face reality.

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Silek moves as symbol of musyawarah in Minang people, Scene 3, Lawik Bakaba © 2020 NNB. Photographed by Abi Ismail;

As Minang people, they tried to discuss the condition and express their feelings through randai moves together - musyawarah.

Scene 5 - We don’t get anything With beach visitors waiting to see the pukek results, some fishers bring a small basket that’s already filled with plastics and fish they find inside the net, then show it to them. Some fisher tried to cut open the fish, and see that it also filled with plastics. The other fishers would hum a melody, and do percussions with their body as a sign of distress. The tapping on their thigh and lower legs in Minang indicated that they don’t get anything. The performance ended with all

Fishers sing and play body percussion as an act of grief, Scene 5, Lawik Bakaba © 2020 NNB. Photographed by Abi Ismail

fishers taping their galembong trousers which at the same time gets projected by a short clip about the future ocean; that will be made out of plastics = Ocean Plastics. They hit their trousers loudly and create the voice of a group that’s out of breath, which indicates that all the fishers might be starved because of the situation with Maelo pukek.

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Exhibition Lawik Bakaba exhibition was officially opened on 19th February 2020, at 8 PM, right after the performance finished. It was displayed around the outer part of the seating area, with a free flow concept, to let the audience explore the exhibits before/after the performance.

The exhibition gives a detailed story about the plastic issue as a continuation of Maelo pukek activity presented in the performance. Both story part becomes a cycle that keeps happening over and over again in the community. That is why, even if on the 2nd day, the performance occurs later after the exhibits, the audience might still feel the relation and the continuity. Because in real life, the incident happens like a spinning wheel, a giant cycle that could start at any points.

The exhibition was divided into several areas which consist of: the curatorial, two areas for children plastic collage, the plastic petition video, the facts, Lawik Bakaba film, the feedback net, and the interactive net. Also, after the performance finished, the installation on the centre stage becomes the exhibited object, to allow the audience to take a closer look into the piece.

Most of the exhibit’s material came from all the way from Indonesia because it was a reused item or manufactured there. This is what made the exhibition unique; it looks very organic, simple, and honest. Lawik Bakaba exhibition ended on the evening of 20th February 2020.

The Children Collages Artwork - workshop The artworks were created during Lawik Bakaba pre-event from late January to early February 2020 by elementary school students of Alia Islamic School, Indonesia. In the beginning, the students were shown a short animated movie called A Whale’s Tale created by The Hopeworks Project. Then they were asked to create a collage on what they want the sea to look like – using plastics waste that they could find around them. Surprisingly, most of the plastics in the artworks resulted from the plastic packaging of snacks that the students get during their break at school. It could be seen that year 5 and year 6 students treated the plastics differently to make the collages. 91 students produced the 4 artworks for 2 weeks during their art class.

Above, Lawik Bakaba, exhibition © 2020 NNB. Photographed by Abi Ismail; Below, The Ronce artwork and The Children Plastic Collage Area I, Lawik Bakaba, exhibition © 2020 NNB. Photographed by Abi Ismail

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Opposite (Top to Bottom): Interractive fish-net installation ‘Sort me if you can’. Lawik Bakaba, exhibition © 2020 NNB. Photographed by Nasha Bahasoean; The facts area. Lawik Bakaba, exhibition © 2020 NNB. Photographed by Abi Ismail; Film area with visitors. Lawik Bakaba, exhibition © 2020 NNB. Photographed by Abi Ismail.

The plastic petition video wall. Lawik Bakaba, exhibition © 2020 NNB. Photographed

by Nasha Bahasoean.

‘Sort Me If You Can’ An Interactive plastic and fish nets ‘It was so exciting to see visitors dig into the net full of plastic waste, looking for a little fish that get stuck in between. They might be curious to know what kind of fish they will get. That is exactly what I want them to feel! As this is how the fishers feel when they just get their fishing nets back from the sea. They are wondering and guessing about their catch, because they won’t know until they open the pukek net, and look for the fish amongst the trash, then separate the two.’

Lawik Bakaba Film Corner The film shown in Lawik Bakaba performance was exhibited again in full-length to allowed audience re-watch the movie. Because during the performance, the film produced in collaboration with Kausa was shown separately in between scenes. Further, it was projected either on the floor or on the screens, which may be unclear to some audience. The exhibited film was projected at the end of the room, completed with bin bags and carpet to let watchers chill while enjoyinng the 3.5 minutes film.

The Facts Area In this area, visitors get more information about ocean plastics. The data was arranged from general information into the specific one about how Indonesia dealing with plastics issues in the ocean. All pieces of information were completed with photographs taken from various resources, including the National Geographic. There’s also more information about the issues discussed hanged around other areas including the interactive Sort Me If You Can nets and the feedback net.

The Plastic Petition wall The wall was covered with blue-white plastics; the elements was readjusted from its original form and was sewn spontaneously into the kind of a patchwork for Lawik Bakaba exhibition. Over the plastics, visitor could see short clips tittled The Plastic Petition and Animation. Two clips on the top and bottom corner showed all plastics products found at the beach. Another two clips located on the right and left, showed several people talking about the plastic issues in Indonesian. The clips were completed with English subtitles to allow a non-Indo speaker to understand the topic. At last, the animation created by MATA Studio was shown in the middle, as the centre attention.

Because it holds a lot of information created with attractive visuals, it shows the journey of a single-use plastics and alternative of plastics use.

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LAWIK BAKABA

Randai Dance Workshop Sunday 23 February 2 Sessions Siobhan Davies Studios, Research Studio, London SE1 6SR

Randai dance is one of the traditional dances from Minangkabau, West Sumatra, Indonesia.

This dance incorporates martial arts movement and body percussion. Randai dance that is developed by Nan Jombang Dance Company has a mix of modern and contemporary based, and it is not widely known in the UK. This one day workshop was a medium to share Randai dance to UK dance community.

By attending this workshop, participants can learn one form of Indonesian contemporary dance, which would extend their artistic ability. They get to learn this distinctive form of modern dance which transcends language, and bursts open culturally specific movement traditions and heritage performance forms. Participants would develop extraordinary physical strength and rhythmic quality for their performance.

The 4 hours class was open for dancers and choreographers aged 18 and over because the dance demanded participants to do a series of martial arts movements. During the day, participants got to wear special trousers called galembong pants - that are required to learn randai dance. The pants will be their source of creating loud percussions, and let them move differently within their own body.

The workshop was lead by Nan Jombang artistic director, Ery Mefri along with their company dancers. During the workshop, the company dancers, Angga Mefri and Rio Mefri showed some movement to the participants and taught them intensely.

The workshop was divided into two sessions, with a one hour break in between.

Session 1 - Minangkabau martial arts technique, 12 – 2 PM Session 2 - Randai technique & choreography, 3 – 5 PM The material from session one and two was created as a progression because for participants to learn randai technique and more body percussions; there are several basic martial arts technique also known as silek that they need to master first. It could be said that the teaching process in the workshop need to be quite slow, in order for participants to understand everything.

The martial arts may be similar to karate or kung-fu in the beginning; however, the tempo and the power used may be varied.

In the end, this short sharing session was beneficial, and all participants were satisfied with what they learn. The workshop was created not only for learning a new style of dance but also to develop their artistic ability as a dancer as Ery Mefri from Nan Jombang said, that dancers need to move with the technique that they have. Once they understand their own body, there will be a great movement that comes from within.

Credit

Creator, concept and design NASHA BAHASOEAN Costume, Accessories, and Props NASHA BAHASOEAN supported by SEJAUH MATA MEMANDANG Installation NASHA BAHASOEAN Choreography ERY MEFRI NAN JOMBANG DANCE COMPANY Assisted by NASHA BAHASOEAN

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RANDAI DANCE WORKSHOP Organizer NASHA BAHASOEAN Contributor NAN JOMBANG DANCE COMPANY Venue SIOBHAN DAVIES STUDIOS PRODUCTION

Dancers ANGGA MEFRI, RIO MEFRI NAN JOMBANG DANCE COMPANY, BINYING GAO, HAI LU, HAOWEN SHI, NASHA BAHASOEAN

Production Assistant in Indonesia ASTARI BASUKI, KUSNADI, CUCI ROKHANAH, KASNO, ELLY

Graphic collaterals MATA STUDIO, ACI NATALIE, ARIF KURNIAWAN

Exhibition fabric supplied ARLIE PERCETAKAN KAIN Tanggerang, Indonesia

Performance opening film KAUSA

Main Event Equipment AA AUDIOVISUAL LAB, AA INTERPROFESSIONAL STUDIO, RE:CENTRE, PROPERTY OF NASHA BAHASOEAN

Creative Director and BTS Photo VEGA PRABUMI Director NASHA BAHASOEAN Director Of Photography and Editor ISDAM ATRAHADENA Aerial Videography YOSEF GUNAWAN

Saluang Sound IRMUN KRISMAN Talent PUKEK FISHERMAN of MUARO LASAK BEACH Padang, Indonesia

Dancer RIO MEFRI, ZOLA PUTRA Producer IRSYAD IZZEDDIN B Production Manager DIANA RAMDANI Closing film SEJAUH MATA MEMANDANG by DAVY LINGGAR Re-edited by NASHA BAHASOEAN Performance Technical Support AIJIN YING YUAN GU EXHIBITION Creator NASHA BAHASOEAN supported by SEJAUH MATA MEMANDANG Main Exhibition Video SEJAUH MATA MEMANDANG by DAVY LINGGAR, MATA STUDIO re-edited by NASHA BAHASOEAN

Lawik Bakaba, Randai dance workshop © 2020, NNB. Photographed by Nasha Bahasoean/ Nuryati Ali

Main Venue - Re:Centre Event Manager FLEUR NETLEY KIMIA ALLAHVEDI

Kids Workshop Project Contributors ALIA ISLAMIC SCHOOL Tanggerang, Indonesia Supported by HOPEWORKS PROJECT

Event Set Up/Take Down Assistant NURYATI ALI, YUAN GU, AIJIN YING, LIER CHEN AAIS PHASE 1 - PATARITA TASSANARAPAN (KG), YUAN XIANG, SEOYOUN YUN, YIHAN BAI (ELLE), KEXIN, JIE WANG (ZOIE) Publication

NASHA BAHASOEAN; AA DIGITAL PLATFORM AND SOCIAL MEDIA - MANIJEH VERGHESE,

MATTHEW ROBERTS, LIAM GREEN, AA INTERPROFESSIONAL STUDIO, RE:CENTRE, PPI UK ASSOCIATION OF INDONESIAN STUDENTS IN THE UK, EMBASSY OF THE REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA LONDON Event Documentation ABI ISMAIL PRANJAL MALVIYA LEI ZHU In-Kind Support RE:CENTER MATA STUDIO EDUCATION AND CULTURE ATTACHÉ OFFICE, EMBASSY OF THE REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA LONDON Special Thanks AAIS Tutors THEO LORENZ, TANJA SIEMS, ARGYRIS ANGELI, ANDREW DEAN, DAVID MCALMONT, KYRIAKI NASIOULA, JOEL NEWMAN, MAURICIO PAULY, HEIKO KALMBACH, HILA SHEMER, MALGORZATA DZIERZON, RENAUD WISER, PATRICIA OKENWA, NOA SEGEV, MONA CAMILLE CHITRA SUBYAKTO, SEJAUH MATA MEMANDANG, DAVY LINGGAR, FELIX TJAHYADI, MATA STUDIO, AGRA SATRIA, ACI NATALIE, ARIF KURNIAWAN, ASTARI BASUKI, GRIYATARI WIDYARINI, LITA LEGOWO, NAJLA HILABI, ANAS SYAHRUL A, ELYSSA SYKES-SMITH, AYU GINARANI, ROZHANA BAHSOON, THOMAS PARKES, LIER CHEN, AAIS PHASE 1 2019/2020, AA SCHOOL SECURITY Beloved parents NURYATI ALI, NABIEL BAHASOEAN

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Untitled, A 1:1 Model Lier Chen

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Research and Exhibition pamphlet: – In Common Parlance – The origins of boundary (nature) – The Boundary as Object – Between thought and expres-

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The Artefact:

– – – –

Site (left page) The Object (left page) Plan / Section (right page) Bits ‘n’ pieces (right page)

Entering the room an individual within the object’s environment is faced with a choice. Whether to stand around the perimeter of the object or enter its interior. The object is a 1:1 model made of standardised, rapidly constructible birch plywood modules that define a perimeter/ boundary.

6 plans and a further 6 photographs from each of the STUDIO* member’s are displayed. Each a reflection on the themes of boundary, artifice, and planning

comes from the corner of the room, where a video streams a Finnish birch forest- one of the many sources feeding the supply chains of the plywood industry that fuel the industrial production and movement of raw material goods.

Ultimately, untitled: an object in a room is a performance. The performance of constructing a project, collaboration, fabrication and allowing our built everyday environments to be questioned. The project is about the performative condition 125

Credits AAIS 2019/20 student: Lier Chen AAIS Tutors: Programme Director: Theo Lorenz Programme R&D: Tanja Siems Studio Master: David McAlmont Studio Tutor: Argyris Angeli Workshop & Seminar Tutors: Mona Camille, Andrew Dean, Malgorzata Dzierzon, Andreia Garcis, Heiko Kalmbach, Kyriaki Nasioula, Joel Newman, Patricia Okenwa, Noa Segev, Hila Shemer, Renaud Wiser Producer: Lier Chen Project and design director Karl Herdersch Design and fabrication: Deri Mungo Collaborators: STUDIO*: Kai Fung Chan, Noriyuki Ishii, Alexander Balgarnie Installation: STUDIO*, Fabrication and installation help: Luofei Dong, Nasha Bahasoean, Effie Gu, Elle Bai, Yuan Xiang, Ignacio Saavedra, Patarita Tassanarapan Special Thanks To: William Lyall for his font PM Grotesk and graphic advice The Architectural Association workshop staff Javier Castanon and Ciaran Mayak for technical guidance

In kind support: Noble Fine Liquor

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ITERATING Yuan Gu

Introduction “ITERATING” is a 30min multi-disciplinary production discuss the status quo of the internet including social media, data surveillance and censorship. As the content we consume online is increasingly personalised, it creates environments and communities that are smaller and homogeneous. These space are called “filter bubbles” or “echo chambers” as they are the closed system of people and information. It creates an environment in which a person encounters only beliefs or opinions that coincide with their own so that their existing views are reinforced and alternative ideas are not considered. This performance is aim to raise a conversation with the audience about the homogenous of the internet under the development of the technology.

This project is a dance performance combining installation, multimedia and audience participation. Instead of letting the audience limited in their seats, this will be an immersive spatial performance without seats and audience can move freely in the space.

This performance is for anyone interested in performance, dance and installation. The topic is for all the people who concerned about our society and surroundings to experience the predictions of the future.

SCENE 1 -FANTASY After audience settle down in the space, all lights fade out. Video starts from costume textiles to performer’s movement by zooming out gradually. The main character appearing from the corner, walking towards the screen through the audience and starting to imitate the movement on the screen.

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Imitating dancers in the video, rhythm from gentle to strong. Anthor two performers walking out from the back of screen, approaching the installation in the centre.

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Photo by Adam Zhang

Scene 2 -Reality Focus move to the centre of the space. Performers interacting with the installation. Performers interacting with the installation from outside, pulling and reshaping it. Two of them start to unplug the installation from S-hooks, using it as a tool to catch the main character.

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Two of them pull away the installation from main character and throw her in the centre, pause aside holding the installatioon, blocked words appear on the screen.

Screen and lights flashing, performer shocking.

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Scene 3 -Escape

Ending

Struggles and chaos. The other two performers combining together, becoming a monster. Walking around and swallowing her.

A new loop begins. All performers lying on the floor covered by installation, lights fade out, screen starts again with main character’s face and eyes.

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Screen and lights flashing, performer shocking.

Photo by Adam Zhang