Duration: 40mins
A meditative performance with Iris Chan, created collaboratively for Nocturnal Creatures Festival at Whitechapel Gallery in July 2022, curated by Ruth Lie.
Incorporating drawing, dance, and audience participation, the performance offered a contemplative space for reflection on the interconnectedness between humans, the Earth, and one another. Set within the immersive setting of Emma Talbot's Whitechapel Gallery commission titled "The Age/L'Età", the performance drew inspiration from Talbot's artwork, which delved into the principles of permaculture, as well as the writings of Starhawk, and placed a strong emphasis on themes of caring and nurturing.
Throughout the performance, recurring motifs of circles and cycles emerged. The artists used soil as a drawing medium, turned and twisted their bodies in expressive movements, and spun paper strings using a drop spindle. Enhancing the immersive atmosphere, the audio recording of "The Last Story", narrated by Starhawk, served as a soundscape during a specific segment of the performance.
As an interactive element of The Turning Wheel, the audience was invited to contribute their visions for the future by writing them down. The writings were transformed into strings, crafted into bracelets that were then offered to the audience. The performance reached its culmination as individuals wore each other's wishes, symbolising collective support towards manifesting a brighter future. By physically carrying each other’s aspirations, the performance fostered a sense of community and mutual care among the participants, reinforcing the central themes of interconnectedness and nurturing.
The exchange of these symbolic bracelets served as a poignant reminder of our collective power in shaping the world and the potential that lies in supporting one another's dreams and aspirations.
Photography by Jeffrey Choy, with additional images from Anne Point and Arabella Turner (courtesy of Whitechapel Gallery).