The Fifth Cardinal Direction

11 am – 07 pm, 14 Feb – 02 Mar 2025
Manzi Exhibition Space
No. 2 Ngõ Hàng Bún, Ba Đình, Hà Nội

From the organizer:

Expanding upon their critically acclaimed music-theater work of the same name — premiered at the Hanoi Opera House and subsequently presented in Rotterdam and Vienna — this installation re-imagines their theatrical work within a new medium and spatial framework allowing a shift in the relationship between spectators and performer.

Despite the average 8-second attention span today, each video consists of a continuous shot, with the performer maintaining her posture for the entire 8-minute duration. The artwork invites the viewer to pause and to step out of the fast-paced, fragmented rhythm of contemporary life and to engage with the larger temporal structures of human existence.

At the heart of the installation is a solitary figure whose age and subtle movements embody her humanity. Her voice, the sole audible element in the space, resonates with the essence of each life chapter, inviting viewers to contemplate the emotional and existential themes at play. The deliberate silence between each sound event creates a long arch of time, similar to that found in nature, such as the time between bird’s song or between dawn and sunset.

*Please note: We can only accommodate a maximum of 6 audiences each slot

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