PhD candidate Shannon (Ningfei) Xiao to perform a transdisciplinary live art project at the Wellington waterfront
Scheduled for 7:30 pm on Saturday, 24 February 2024, artist and architecture PhD candidate Shannon Xiao will perform Dialogue Before Sunset with the artist collective Temporary Show at the main entrance of Wellington Museum before moving to Waitangi Park.
Dialogue Before Sunset pays homage to the pūrākau, Ngake and Whātaitai, the taniwha who once inhabited Wellington Harbour and intertwines Shannon Xiao’s personal journey from China to Aotearoa.
Performers will use birch bark pieces as spiritual creatures from the Ewengki/Evenki tribe in China, along with sounds and objects found along the shoreline. Together, these elements create a space for Pōhutukawa, tī kōuka (cabbage tree), and various beings residing around the ocean, Waimapihi stream, and Waitangi stream.
Rooted in Shannon’s creative research at Te Wāhanga Waihanga-Hoahoa— Wellington Faculty of Architecture and Design Innovation, the project initiates a transdisciplinary dialogue between architecture, art, and spiritual technologies.
It aims to generate discussions on more-than-human relations in urban public spaces, evaluated through autoethnographic documentaries grounded in a posthumanist perspective.
Supervised by Associate Professor Simon Twose and Senior Lecturer Hannah Hopewell, the research draws from 'latencies' within the place to reimagine public spaces.
The collaborative effort in the show involves indigenous and non-indigenous researchers and practitioners, supported by various experts from the academia, the council, and the local community.
The project is part of the NZ Fringe Festival and recently received support from Wellington City Council’s Public Art Fund.
The event encourages attendees to participate in co-creating the performance.
It also prioritises feedback, seeking permission from mana whenua, Te Ātiawa, Taranaki Iwi, and various plants and beings using rongoā principles (the practice of reciprocity with nature) to ensure the health and wellbeing of participants and the environment.
Pamphlets explaining the artwork and historical places will be distributed, and the documentary will be exhibited afterward for a wider audience.
Dialogue Before Sunset will start at the main entrance of Wellington Museum at 7:30 pm on Saturday, 24 February 2024 before moving to Waitangi Park. The rain backup day is Monday, 26 February.
Attendance is free and the performance is suitable for all ages.