Studio practice
(Phase three)
The third phase of my studio practice is centred on introducing and reflecting upon a collaborative performance project with researchers and artists from the performing arts. This collaboration with dancers and performers was very complex, as it is comprised of a series of experimental and collaborative projects that vary in size and scope. To guide the reader through this research process and provide a better understanding of the different types of art forms that emerged from this process, it introduces the artworks in three categories:
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Wearable objects
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Wearable installation
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Tree Opera
The sequences of these three sections are arranged based on a research timeline of the development of the performance project. Studio practice phase three aimed to develop an in-depth investigation of the performative and theatrical characteristics of art forms that emerged from Touch the Light workshop II and further elaborate and expand the co-creation and co-reflection process with dancers and performers. The artefacts developed from previous workshops were further integrated into different performance projects in this phase. Further exploration of experimenting with the different types of UV-reactive materials—which vary in different textures, weights, sizes, etc.—was also conducted throughout phase three. Due to the collaborative nature of the performance and the dancer’s interaction with the artefacts, I was able to reflect on the differences and similarities between jewellery making and performance making.
Wearable objects
Dancing Betta Fish (2021)
The video documents the dancer exploring the Dancing Betta Fish costume. The costume design, as a wearable object, 'surrounded' the dancer's body, ostensibly changing the focus of her attention via a veritable plethora of sensory stimulation. During her performance, the dancer interacted with the costume, causing the zip-tie parts to collide and make quiet noises in time with her movements. As the zip ties were black, the blue light transformed the fluorescent green and made it visually stand out in the space while concealing the black zip ties in the darkness.
The fluorescent components traced the dancer's movement in the space like a dancing betta fish moving its beautiful tails under the deep sea. Afterwards, the dancer, commenting on her interactive experience during the performance, stated that her body movement was 'kind of in sync' with the sound. Her eyes were drawn to the colourful dots on her body as she moved, and the sound produced by the work during the duration of her movements served as a metronome to assist her in coordinating her movements. Even though there was no background music, she created rhythmic sounds with the furnished accoutrements, filling the entire room with a stunning audio-visual display.
Dancing Betta Fish (2021). Performed by Jingya Peng. Designed by Wanshu Li. The Shell Gallery, Parkside Building, Birmingham City University.
Wearable objects
The Roots (2021)
The video documents the dancer exploring the Dancing Betta Fish costume. The costume design, as a wearable object, 'surrounded' the dancer's body, ostensibly changing the focus of her attention via a veritable plethora of sensory stimulation. During her performance, the dancer interacted with the costume, causing the zip-tie parts to collide and make quiet noises in time with her movements. As the zip ties were black, the blue light transformed the fluorescent green and made it visually stand out in the space while concealing the black zip ties in the darkness.
The fluorescent components traced the dancer's movement in the space like a dancing betta fish moving its beautiful tails under the deep sea. Afterwards, the dancer, commenting on her interactive experience during the performance, stated that her body movement was 'kind of in sync' with the sound. Her eyes were drawn to the colourful dots on her body as she moved, and the sound produced by the work during the duration of her movements served as a metronome to assist her in coordinating her movements. Even though there was no background music, she created rhythmic sounds with the furnished accoutrements, filling the entire room with a stunning audio-visual display.
The Roots (2021). Performed by Wanshu Li. Neon green zip ties and fishing lines. Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.
Wearable objects
Tree Spirit (2021)
I experimented with UV-reactive ribbons and various hues to further develop the idea of entangled, intertwined roots. I also drew inspiration from the nerves of plants as seen under the microscope. In this artistic experiment, the UV-reactive ribbons were not constructed into any particular shape or form. Instead, the ribbons were worn by the dancer, and their natural movements created the silhouette of the body. In this case, the materials were able to conform and adapt to the dancer's body, resulting in a performance that was unique to their movements and body shape. This symbiotic relationship between the dancer and the materials meant that the performer's movements directly influenced the shape and form of the art piece.
Furthermore, it explores the interaction of the light-reactive materials and the body by visually expressing this interaction: the performer's body acts as a carrier of 'light' and a propulsion mechanism for the choreography. The dancer's body becomes an integral part of the materials, continuously changing the spatial arrangement. The glowing materials worn on the body both conceptualise the body as a medium integrated into the art and alter the artwork based on the dancer's spontaneous response to the materials, light, and space. In these experiments, dark shadows meet highlights in sharp lines that trace the silhouette of body parts, rendering them as almost two-dimensional abstract shapes. These lines define the spaces on and around the body, outlining the boundary between the body and space.
Tree Spirit (2021). Performed by Roxanne Korda and Wanshu Li. Designed by Wanshu Li. Fluorescent Fabrics. The Shell Gallery, the Parkside Building, Birmingham City University.
Wearable objects
The Cells (2021)
I tied approximately 50 balloons onto a piece of neon green thread and then decorated the surface of the balloons with fluorescent green and red paper stickers. After finishing the decoration of the objects, I began to explore them. I documented the balloon objects in daylight and under UV light to observe the different visual effects of the pieces. In daylight, the balloons showed a thicker and more solid texture. Under UV light and in darkness, the balloons transformed into bubble-like objects that floated in space. The blue light, combined with the balloons, transformed the space into an atmosphere reminiscent of the deep sea. With the movement of the body, a 'bubble' floated around the body. Working with balloons allowed me to observe and interact with UV-reactive materials in space and on the body in a new dimension. The structure, still floating and moving through space, was examined in various states. The balloons moved with the body as it moved, becoming an extension of the body and also creating interesting noises along with the body's movement.
Exploring The Cells with my body (2021).
Balloon, neon green thread, fluorescent red and green sticky paper dots.
Royal Birmingham Conservatoire
Wearable installations
The Woven Space (2021)
The dancer and I collaborated to expand the previous installation, which consisted of colourful ribbons, into a more theatrical set design. In contrast to the previous kinetic and streamlined installation design, the new installation design provides a more structured space that allows the dancers full access to the interior. In this scene, a white rope runs vertically from the installation to the ground, symbolizing the source of nourishment for the tree. According to one of the storylines in the tree opera, the dancer needed to enter the installation space and perform a 'passing' of nourishment through himself. The purpose of this rehearsal performance was to experiment with the performance scenario of Tree Opera, intending to incorporate it more fully into the final opera project.
After initially setting up the piece, the dancers began performing within the structure. Although it was challenging to track the dancer's movements in such a dark environment, the audience could follow her movements by observing the white ropes gradually woven into the structure. As music was incorporated into this experiment, the dancer's dynamics combined with an exploration of musical elements such as drums, the tempo of the beat, and the spatial relationship within the material and the installation.
The Woven Space Installation (2021). Performed by Jingya Peng. Music and narrator by Oliver Farrow. The Shell Gallery, Parkside Building, Birmingham City University.
Wearable installations
The Root (2021)
I carried out the rest of the installation work in the Shell Gallery, which is a much larger space than the RBC. The movement of the dancer or performer could not be easily followed, in contrast to the RBC’s performance space, which is relatively dark. This led to interesting visual effects in which the dancer performed the artifacts as if they were alive, following the body's movement. The Shell Gallery has white walls, which create a slightly different visual background when the UV light transforms the space and the objects. After installing the artwork, I invited the two dancers to enter the installation space. Their explorative movements and performance were based on the opera's story. The Roots were transformed into a room-filling installation piece that stretched and expanded in the space. It appeared as if the roots penetrated and stretched deep into the dark ‘ground’.
The previous creation of The Roots installation, as well as some experimentation with performance during its making, inspired me to work with the dancers on the performance to develop a better understanding and experience of the performance-making process. The dancer and I acted as ‘helpers’, providing nutritious food for the ‘roots’. Since we were dressed in black, our bodies appeared as almost two black silhouettes moving through the space. The shadows of our dynamic bodies were projected onto the back wall, creating the illusion that there were four dancers performing in the space.
The Root installation (2021). Designed by Wanshu Li. Performed by Roxanne Korda and Wanshu Li. Neon green zip ties and fishing lines. The Shell Gallery. Parkside Building, Birmingham City University.
Wearable installations
Rainbow Tree (2021)
I explored and further developed other wearable objects within the installation structure. This work evolved from the tree spirits created previously, aiming to provide a more immersive experience with the materials and to explore different dimensions of the tree spirit object, inspired by the vibrant patterns of the rainbow tree. The Tree Spirit wearable object was transformed into a ceiling-mounted installation that allowed the performer to enter the object and experience the work from within. All the vibrant fabric ribbons were attached to a ring hoop and suspended from the ceiling. This presented a unique way of experiencing and interacting with the artwork. The installation extended the materials into the room, creating an exploratory performance space that the dancer could enter.
I invited the dancer to explore the installation. The vibrant ribbons extended and filled the space, creating a beautifully subtle, playful, and fluid dance with the dancer's body. The dancer's movements were dynamic and energizing; the fabrics followed the dancer's rhythms, breath, and emotional reactions in response to the fabric and the ambient lighting. The intimate and physical interactions that emerged from the dancer's exploratory movements gave rise to ephemeral and spontaneous moments, which were captured in the photographs with unique and improvised interpretations. Throughout the performance, the interactions between the dancer and the materials generated subtle and pleasant sounds.
The Rainbow Tree installation (2021) was designed and created by Wanshu Li and performed by dancer Jingya Peng. Fluorescent fabrics.The Shell Gallery, Parkside Building, Birmingham City University.
Tree Opera
An open-rehearsal performance (2021)
This collaborative performance brought together dancers, musicians, singers, and designers to create an immersive and multisensory art space that involves theatrical, musical, and UV-reactive wearable art elements, which allow the audience members to watch the performance and experience the captivating space. Due to the COVID restrictions in August 2021, only a small group of audience members, consisting of seven people, were invited to the Tree Opera live show. The audience participants were invited to interact and ‘perform’ during and after the show. Audience members were encouraged to play with the artefacts and contribute to one of the scenic installations during the show. After the performance, the artefacts remained on the 'stage', which enabled the audience to enter the 'stage' area and become physically engaged with the art objects and scenery to further understand the materials and also the concept of this UV performance.
Based on my earlier studio experiments that were choreographed with dancers and performers during phase three, the two live performances aimed to incorporate the artefacts developed from previous workshops (wearable objects and wearable installations) and to present a work-in-progress show. It brought together dancers, musicians, singers, and designers to create an immersive and multisensory art space that involves theatrical, musical, and UV-reactive wearable art elements, which allow the audience members to watch the performance and experience the captivating space. Throughout the year-long development of this project from 2021 to 2022, two iterations of live performances were presented, each with a distinct focus. The first, Tree Opera, centred on the advancement of scenery design, while the second, Lipote: An Interconnected Journey, evolved from its predecessor by concentrating on costumes and portable, wearable objects.
Tree Opera (2021) An open-rehearsal performance. RougePlay Theatre, Birmingham.
Lipote: An Interconnected Journey (2022)
The second iteration of the show focused on developing costumes and wearable objects. In contrast to Tree Opera, which involved more fixed structures in its scenery design and featured prototype costumes, the production of Lipote: An Interconnected Journey explored innovative concepts of costumes and portable, wearable installations. Upon reflecting on our previous performance, my collaborators (a dancer, musician, and playwright) and I decided to give the dancer greater freedom of movement. Consequently, we opted to limit the use of installations in the second iteration of this project and instead concentrate on the creation of costumes and wearable objects. From August to December 2022, we dedicated four months to the second stage of the show's development, culminating in a live performance attended by an audience of approximately 15 individuals.
In some of the scenes, the dancer's 'absent' body in the darkness presents an intriguing visual effect. This phenomenon becomes particularly apparent when dancers perform in ultraviolet (UV) costumes, rendering their physical presence seemingly invisible in the darkness, leaving only the glowing costume elements to trace their movements. Most dance performances emphasize the centrality of the body as the primary medium of expression, communication, and aesthetic appreciation. However, the absence of the dancer's body in UV performances challenges these assumptions and invites a re-evaluation of the role of the body in dance. The absent body in UV performances is not entirely devoid of presence. Rather, it is the negative space around which the audience's perception is organized, allowing for the creation of meaning and interpretation. This perspective underscores the importance of the relationship between the visible and the invisible, the material and the immaterial, and the tangible and the intangible in the dance experience.
Lipote: An Interconnected Journey ( 2022). Rehearsal. Performance video clips. The costume designed by Wanshu Li. Fluorescent fabrics, zip ties, paper, etc.
Lipote: An Interconnected Journey (2022), Trailer. Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.
Lipote: An Interconnected Journey ( 2022). Rehearsal. Performance video clips. The costume designed by Wanshu Li. Fluorescent fabrics, zip ties, paper, wood frames, recycled plastic bottle caps, etc. Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.
Lipote: An Interconnected Journey.
(Edinburgh Fringe 2023)
After I submitted my PhD thesis, our collaborative performance was presented at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. It was a great experience to present this recent iterative version of our work to a larger audience. The children particularly loved the performance because of the puppetry effect with the objects in the show.
The performing artists include librettist Roxanne Korda and award-winning composer Oliver Farrow. The story is conveyed by the singers and the narrator, with projected subtitles displayed throughout the performance. Suitable for audiences of all ages, including families, the production features innovative UV costume and scenery design by jeweller Wanshu Li. Additionally, it is choreographed by Jingya Peng, whose work blends elements of Chinese traditional physical theatre with Western contemporary theatre. Performance artists in this show include Roxanne Korda, Dalma Sinka, Teddy Woolgrove, and Maria Liu.
Intriguingly evolved costumes played a significant role in this show, showcasing a creative approach to costume design. The garments were ingeniously interconnected using UV-reactive strips that were affixed to the costumes. This innovative method resulted in structures that interconnected the dancers themselves. This unique design offered the dancers both the freedom to move gracefully within the performance space and the ability to leave discernible traces of their movements through the use of UV-reactive materials. These materials not only engaged with the dancers' actions but also stood out visually, introducing a dynamic element to the performance. They brilliantly illuminated the paths of the dancers, thereby transforming their movements into a tangible and captivating aspect of the visual spectacle.
Lipote An Interconnected Journey at Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2023
Lipote An Interconnected Journey at Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2023. Performance artists in this show include Roxanne Korda, Dalma Sinka, Teddy Woolgrove, and Maria Liu. Photo by Sally Anderson