Second Series

2, 3, 9, 10 March 2019

Stamford Arts Centre

Backstage

By Richard Chua

The second installation of Wuwei Performance Series artistically converses with curator Jaxton Su's upcoming exhibition "The only paradise is paradise lost, an extension to Jaxton's ongoing conversation with everyday issues in the contemporary world. Chinese philosopher Lao Zi's philosophy of “non-action” 无为而无不为 (no action will come in necessary action) aptly applies to the law of nature and the everyday life.

The dialogue will be carried out with two exhibitions and performances in the month of March at Stamford Arts Centre. Themes such as Affectation, Affection, Attraction, Contemplation, Drawing, Grieving, Reclamation and Transcendence, Erasure, Morphing, Narration and Searching in nature are present in the art-works and performances by artists in the Wuwei Performance Series. All of them reflect the performance ethos of Wuwei Performance Series where Chinese philosopher Lao Zi's famed idea is core: Inaction comes in necessary action.

Translated simply as being yourself as part of nature's cycle, there isn't a need to do the unnecessary. Yet, inaction does not mean ‘not doing', but doing what's necessary to be part of nature. From artist Veron Lau's nature birthing to Glenn Lim's interaction with a fish; Jeremy Hiah's contemplation of death; Jireh Koh's kinetic painting with natural sounds; Illa Haziqin's bodily transformation; Urich Lau's circuit of life; Eve Tan and Benjamin Ho's contemplation of natural waste; Yen Phang's meditative performance of personal loss to death; Farizi's relation with the cotton garment Kain Pelikat; Nicole Phua's drawing life with circles ending with a Chinese fullstop; The Artist Company's dynamics in human communication; ila and friend's natural safety shelter -- all of them offer alternative perspectives to Jaxton Su's curatorial vision of Nostalgia.

An artistic intervention is highly reflexive one. It not only questions the basis on which art is being created and presented but also to remind artists and audiences alike on the very function the arts serve in society and beyond. Living within nature is a quality that urbanites seem to have lost. Wuwei Performance Series artists interrupt conventional mindsets to introduce mindfulness to their audience. Lao Zi's seminal idea of following natural occurrences in events does not negate action, but action could be carried out within the natural flow of events guides the process. Performance artists in Wuwei Performance Series seek to embody that spirit of action.

---

Eve Tan & Benjamin Ho Trashy Queen & 思你我她; Thinking Block + +

Farizi Noorfauzi Kain Pelikat +

Glenn Lim You Were Still Alive the Last Time We Spoke +

Illa Haziqin What Do You Want Me to Be? +

Jireh Koh Anahata II: Meditative Kinetic Painting +

Justin Lee Untitled +

Nicole Phua 。the circle never goes +

Ray Langenbach Untitled +

The Artists Company Texting Red, White & Black +

Urich Lau Life Circuit +

Veronyka Lau "We have about 12 years left." +

Yen Phang Admin +