big day of performances #1 | performance plus 2019

big day of performances #1
Sunday November 24, 2019
4-7pm @ MoT+++

performance plus 2019

the opening event of performance plus 2019 was a celebration of performance art in all of its varied forms. the original big day of performances took place in May 2018, as part of MoT+++’s inaugural six-month long performance plus programme. big day of performances have become a reoccurring event that brings together multiple and simultaneous performances from selected local and international artists-in-residence. the event is characterised by multiple and simultaneous performances taking place inside and around the MoT+++ gallery and garden.

the event is part of MoT+++’s five week programme on performance art featuring both weekly and one-off events. the programme includes over fifteen artists in residence from an international selection via an Open Call.

big day of performance #1 artists:
Ayumi Adachi
Chung Nguyen
Sikarnt Skoolisariyaporn
Le Phuong Nhi

Ayumi Adachi – ‘Line’

Ayumi Adachi’s installation artwork express with site and time specific by low technical material. She is deeply inspired by nature and human life circulation with concept of time axis “setsuna”（1）. From her in-depth observation on how our time axis encounter with nature, she interprets the relationship through art.

We are repeating the endless “born live, die” each Ksana (setsuna) =0.013”（2）. We are repeating living and death….
If the exhaled breath does not absorb at the next moment, we will die…
If you cannot breathe inhaled breath…
As such, our life is impermanent…

Presenting the creative process of installation works expressed by only the paper to the audience, we can experience The present and accumulation of “setsuna”, and I call all process is Performance.

Notes:
（1） “Setsuna” is Japanese pronounce of Kasana (see note 2).
（2）[ Ksana (setsuna) = 0.013 seconds]

In Buddhism, they use a Sanskrit word “ksana” to measure time, which is a tiny unit of time. Such a small amount of time that all kinds of things happen eludes our conscious awareness. And this amount of time is approximately one seventy-fifth of a second, i.e. 0.013s. In each 0.013 second (= ksana), “Born, Live, Die” loop cycles keep recurring in human consciousness in one Ksana = 0.013 second.

www.ayumiadachi.wordpress.com

Chung Nguyen – ‘The Sack’

‘The Sack’ is a series of performances, in which Chung explores the interplay between a sack with different bodies and identities, and the interaction of performer, viewer, private space, and social media. A sack is an everyday object can be seen in the street markets of Saigon. As a witness, it stores the images, stories, and culture of daily life.

‘The Sack’ has been presented as a work in progress at the American Dance Festival- International Choreographers Residency Program (North Carolina, USA) and Para//el Performance Space (Brooklyn, USA). At Performance Plus 2019, The Sack will bear witness to the artist’s body, other performers, and their interaction in the space of MoT+++.

Sikarnt Skoolisariyaporn

starting from a sitting position Sikarnt began to read the text ‘Before the Law’ by Franz Kafka to the audience whilst heating a kettle placed on a gas stove next to her. at regular intervals over the 30 minute performance, Sikarnt leapt from her position in a frantic explosion of physical energy, thrashing in a circle repeatedly stomping her feet, thrashing her arms and shaking her head. after each outburst she would return to a crouching position to continue to read the text aloud. as the text neared the end, her raised voice and intensified actions built the atmosphere of the performance to a climatic boiling point of physical outburst before she returned, this time quietly contemplative, to the text. she began to tear the paper along its folds until large holes were made and she scrunched the paper back together. using the kettle she raised her body from the floor, keeping a steady flow of boiled water falling on the paper, finally emptying the kettle with her arm extended fully into the air and ending the performance.

Le Phuong Nhi

in the darkness of the main gallery space Nhi played a war anthem to the audience. she began the performance standing before her spectators, listening with them, before entering the crowd and moving with care and precision through the audience. at this point in the performance it began to rain heavily and Nhi took the performance outside. standing in the rain she continued as though still able to hear the music, and was joined by a member of the audience who stood alongside her, both with their palms stretched out and facing upwards. after some time a second member of the audience covered them with a rain coat, sharing the fabric across both their heads, before the first audience participant returned inside and Nhi finished her performance shortly after.

performance plus 2019 is supported by Asia-Europe Foundation – ASEF Mobility First!, Norwegian Crafts and the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
in partnership with A. Farm