A conversation with Jing-Hong Okorn-Kuo, a dance artist from Singapore who splits her time between Asia and Gra, exploring the philosophy of creative vulnerability, the social conditions we must shed to make authentic art, and how movement can excavate the layers within simple gestures.
Topics
[00:00–02:00] Meeting through Movement: Jing Hong introduces her transnational practice and a recent "Makers Lab" workshop, where she provoked participants to "stop being nice to each other".[02:00–08:00] Shedding Social Conditions: The philosophy behind accessing the "not nice" aspects of ourselves in creative work. It is not about harming each other, but tapping into the full spectrum of human experience as artistic material while maintaining a professional framework.[08:00–15:00] From Singapore to New York to Everywhere: Jing Hong discusses her foundation learning ballet from her mother in Singapore, her studies in the US, a rough period in New York, and her five years living out of a backpack across Asia. She explains finding freedom in the theater community, where perfection is viewed as a reference point rather than an absolute physical demand.[15:00–21:00] Singapore as a Social Laboratory: An exploration of Singapore's highly sanitized, organized environment—where even nature is controlled and earth is considered dirty—and how this hyper-comfort can slowly numb an artist's physical sensibility.[21:00–25:00] The Boundaries of Dance: A philosophical inquiry into defining dance. Jing Hong notes that typical keywords for dance, like "clear form, precision, embodiment," could just as easily describe a Shakespearean actor, leading her to embrace a more open, individualized definition as she grows older.[25:00–29:48] Silver Lining and the Layers of Exile: Her current piece is based on a Singaporean play about WWII spirits. She focuses on a mother character to explore modern forms of exile—physical, political, and emotional—through movement that uncovers "10 gestures within this one gesture".Key Insights
The Tiger in the Studio: Creative spaces require us to drop everyday politeness and safely welcome our dangerous, subconscious traits to fully utilize our life experiences as artistic material.Perfection as a Compass, Not a Cage: In contrast to the strict aesthetic expectations of traditional dance, theater treats perfection merely as a reference point, allowing artists to intentionally throw obstacles in their own path to discover new creative journeys.The Cost of Extreme Comfort: Singapore's hyper-modern, sanitized environment—where citizens are shielded from the sun, rain, and dirt—provides absolute ease but slowly numbs the senses, forcing artists to consciously fight to keep their awareness fresh.The Density of Slow Movement: Slowness in performance isn't always an aesthetic choice about speed; it can be a meticulous excavation of a simple movement, revealing up to ten microscopic gestures, emotional layers, and images within a single action like pointing a finger.Performance Info
Silver Lining A solo exploration of exile through the lens of the WWII Pacific theater, from a Singaporean perspective.
Location: Stadtpark Graz, Passamtswiese
Dates: June 21 to July 1.
Times: Every Sunday and Wednesday at 5:30 PM.
Photo: Clara Wildberger
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