The 30-minute film by local dance group The Arts Fission Company combines contemporary dance with a fluid art installation and original music from traditional Chinese instruments.
Picture this: nature is distraught by climate change and the elements are fighting against each other in a battle that’s doomed for the worst. That’s the plot of [In]finite Octagon, an epic reenactment of the Eight Immortals from Chinese mythology – but with a contemporary twist.
The dance film transforms an empty fish farm and an abandoned school hall into a modern-day bagua installation (that’s the eight trigrams in Taoist cosmology), using 64 blue and white inflatable pieces created by sculptor Yeo Chee Kiong. Along with dancers (acting as the elements) and riveting sounds of traditional instruments, it addresses urgent environmental concerns and the tipping points in nature caused by humans. In a nutshell, it’s a jaw-dropping, complex performance you won’t want to miss.
Perk alert: Friends of Arts Fission can enjoy 25% off the standard ticket price using the promo code “IOAF25”.
An amazing collaboration to remember
Presented by The Arts Fission Company, a contemporary local dance company known to use multi-disciplinary mediums in its stunning performances, [In]finite Octagon features a team of award-winning artists, no less. New music composer Joyce Beetuan Koh, sculptor Yeo Chee Kiong, flutist Tan Qing Lun, percussionists Cheryl Ong Ying Ying and Cheong Kah Yiong, and vocalist Reginald Matthias come together under the artistic direction of Cultural Medallion Recipient Angela Liong. With this much talent working together, it’ll be a breathtaking work of art.
Besides the digital livestream of the 30-minute dance film, a short 15-minute motion-graphics film called INFIN8OCTAGON, by collaborator New Zealand inter-media artist Daniel Belton, will also stream online.
This riveting film is the first of four milestone presentations as part of the mammoth Project Search 8 Immortals. It’s part of a six-year research project (which started in 2018), and is inspired by the Chinese folk legend Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea. Stay tuned for the other milestones – Imagine Ocean, Super Raft, and No Man Island – which will spotlight more unique collaborations in true The Arts Fission Company fashion.
[In]finite Octagon, available for livestream until 31 July.
This post is in partnership with The Arts Fission Company.