Braiding Water
Xiaoyue Zhang
Braiding Water is a tender exploration of grief and a reimagining of mourning practices for unnamed losses and the dead who could not be honored.
"Drawing loosely on historical tragedies in China from the 1950s to the present, I trace the experiences of loss and silence across four generations in my family through this solo performance. Merging technology with Traditional Chinese Massage therapy, I delve into the somatic relics of grief, seeking to understand the rituals and physical actions that accompany emotional processing."
Created and Performed by Xiaoyue Zhang
Co-directed by Brittney Brady, Xiaoyue Zhang
Dramaturg by Brittney Brady Lighting
Design & Creative Technical Collaboration by Kelley Shih
Produced by Xiaoyue Zhang, Esmé Maria Ng
Photo by Cinthia Chen
Find them: xiaoyuezhang.org @___soft_rush
Thanks to LA Performance Practice and Theater MITU for supporting the development of this piece.
"My aim is to unearth the somatic remnants of unexpressed grief within my body. By merging the playfulness of technology with the familiarity of Traditional Chinese Massage therapy, I delve into the somatic relics of grief. Through repetitive actions, I seek a sense of ritual, striving to understand the needs of those in mourning. What physical actions accompany emotional processing, and what is released through this energetic accumulation?" Braiding Water examines the unreliability of memory and the interplay between individual and historical narratives, all while attempting to digitize the otherworldly presence of those we’ve lost.
Content warnings: The show includes incense and fog.