Thin as Skin: Choreographies of Identity
The fellowship has allowed artist/researcher Nguyễn Thanh Thủy to work on two collaborations: (1) with Japanese Hiromi Miyakita, through which they have created a collaborative choreographed musical work, exploring the fluid identity of Asian women in contemporary culture. Building on the observation that gendered identity is shaped through body movement and can be addressed and challenged through choreography, the piece, titled “Thin as Skin, choreographies of Identity”, has premiered as a work in progress at the Dance Box Theatre in Kobe, where a greater part of the workshops in which the piece was created also took place. (2) The second project involves the Malaysian composer, Yii Kah Hoe, and also a number of other performers and improvisers on the scene in Malaysia. The collaborative work has taken shape in three public concerts – at the Raw Art Space, the Petaling Heritage Space in Kuala Lumpur and the Chinese Community Hall in Kedah. Set at the threshold between ancient traditions and experimental art, the further aim of the collaboration with Kah Hoe is to create a new composition using traditional Vietnamese instruments. Video documentation of artistic process will generate further impact beyond the scheduled performances in Japan, Vietnam, Malaysia and Sweden.
