Stardust
STARDUST
is a participatory installation-cum-performance that looks at dying as an act of empowerment, self-transformation and radical care. It is as much an artistic meditation on dying as it is on living. STARDUST hopes to give a glimpse of how closely interconnected we are to each other as humans, as well as to all non-humans and the natural world. Over eight days, it unfolds as an interactive, sensorial and living installation. Visitors are invited to write their own eulogies, listen to an audio guide (“Instructions for Dying”) or join in an intimate conversation about dying. The overarching narrative follows the eight stages of death transformation in Tibetan Buddhism. Seven performers (30 – 64 years old) take turns to perform their individual dying rituals each day. Their themes range from collective burial, letting go and disappearance to healing, remembering and connectedness. On the final day, they perform a group ritual, in which all the eulogies created are turned into dust– a reminder that we are all made of stardust.
WATER, the second ritual
by Hilla Steinert
Don't you understand? The grapes ripen when the sun sets. The wolf's fur thickens when winter comes. The treetops become lighter when the autumn wind blows through them. The cartilage ossifies, the riverbed dries up and the flesh decays.
Memories are fluid. We all swim in the river of our memories. Our body consists of up to 90% water. A gate that connects life and death.
In my ritual I want to bring the audience closer to the awareness that there is more than our individual existence. I will remember 5 people who have died, whose life and death are closely connected to me. On behalf of all those who are not mentioned.
- that they are - - a speck of dust in the rays of one of the suns - - resound with - -
(quote from unknown)
Production: Ming Poon
Co-Production: MIFRUSH Production
Funded by: Hauptstadtkulturfonds.
Artistic Direction & Choreography: Ming Poon
Performance: Veronika Heisig, Lee Mun Wai, Birte Opitz, Vera Shchelkina, Hilla Steinert, Lisa Stertz, hugo-huga x tibiriçá
Choreographic Assistance: Nora Tormann
Stage Design: Sichi Li Stage
Design Assistance: Sangyeon Lee
Lighting Design: Raquel Rosildete
Lighting Design Assistance: Alexandra Úhlarová
Sound Design: Haesoo Jung
Voice (Audioguide): AngieM (EN), Sandra Hetzl (DE)
Video & Projection Design: Harshini J. Karunaratne
Costume Design: Tin Wang
Technical Direction: Frieder Miller Relaxed Performance: Agnieszka Habraschka Audio Description: Irene Baumann
Audio Description Co-Authorship: Johanna Krins
Care Person & Death Doula: Alessa Rhode
Graphic Design: Hung Kieu Video
Documentation: Isabelle Schmitz
Photo Documentation: Olivia Kwok
Public Relations: Marcelo Vilela da Silva
Press Relations: Tom Müller-Heuser
Production Management: MIFRUSH Production (Micaela Trigo & Urszula Heuwinkel)
Production Management Assistance: Nur Bildik
All photos are "Courtesy of Ming Poon (Project: STARDUST)" (IG: @ming.apur)"Photo: Olivia Kwok" (IG: @ooleebs)