I want to use this funding opportunity to develop my technical skills in field recording and sound sculpting to create my next piece “Stream of consciousness”; an interactive piece that meditates on the complexities of our personal and collective identities with sound art and live performance. It is an attempt to be guided by nature and structures that hold our histories, to explore the narratives we hold in our bodies.”Stream of consciousness” is the next phase of “The Room of Remembrance” (2025).
Activities planned for this development:
2 weeks of mentoring by Alice Hui-Sheng Chang and Nigel Brown of Tingshuo Studio in Tainan, Taiwan
– all recording and post production facilities provided for a wide range of experimentation
– personalised mentorship by Nigel to aid development of field recording and technical skills needed
– creative guidance from Alice, who is a sound artist with a background in therapeutic arts
– accumulation of local nature, urban and community soundscapes for the piece
2 weeks of integration, experimentation and reflection at Cove Park’s Open Residency in Argyll, Scotland
– interdisciplinary art space surrounded by nature
– take creative risks in an environment that is supportive of my own practices of meditation and nature inspired work
– access Cove Park’s “Community & Collaboration”, learn from their practices in their work to develop strategies for change and alternative approaches to the urgent problems facing their community, how art plays a role in their efforts
– creating tracks and sound sculptures from accumulated sounds in Taiwan and integrating with sounds from Scotland.
– experimenting with integration of text and sound, and live performance.
– kickstart the creation of my next piece “stream of consciousness” with all the materials I have accumulated throughout the past few months of artistic development
6-12 months creation of “stream of consciousness”
– In London, mentored by sound artist Angela Hui Wai Nok.
– Trips to Darlington to connect with local communities, and collect field recordings and sounds.
– Test the piece with small invited audience groups; if possible once in London and once in Darlington as part of the R&D period. Non physical facilitation is a huge element in the piece so test exhibitions would need to be conducted to gain feedback on the effectiveness of the methods employed: does it effectively affect the audience to want to interact?
Premiere of “Stream of consciousness” in Darlington to wrap up the 2 years.
My aim as an artist, especially with this project is to hold spaces where communities can learn to tell their stories, practice holding stories for others, and cultivate an artistic society where the nurturing of artistic sensibility is encouraged, accessible and present in our every day.
– Create work that transcends language, culture and class
– Art engagement that is not limited to theatres or galleries. Sow the seeds and relationships needed to move into a world where art leaks into our streets, our parks, local shops and every corner of our neighbourhoods.
– Break out of the London/English-centric mindset when it comes to art making and sharing. Expand my networks and bridge the different cultures, languages and geographical spaces I have access to due to my third culture identity.
Being able to premiere my new work as an emerging interdisciplinary artist in Darlington aligns with my aims listed above, and it will also benefit Darlington’s creative arts space by:
– opening up engagement of the arts with Global majority communities in and around Darlington (Durham, Newcastle, Tees Valley, Leeds, etc) with a multi lingual piece, cultivate Darlington as a hub for accessible and grassroots inspired artworks.
– non physical facilitation of space that will encourage the local public to participate in the arts in their own time.
– work grounded in meditation and contemplation (low stimulation) will naturally be more accessible to members of the community that are older, as well as those with special access needs.
– possibility of running workshops for the local community as part of the exhibition (creativity workshops, storytelling workshops, etc), another opportunity to increase engagement with communities in and around Darlington.
I am a Malaysian born Chinese actor, writer, theatre maker and emerging interdisciplinary artist trained in Hanyang University (Seoul) and East 15 Acting School (London). Since 2025 – Guest Lecturer at London Contemporary Dance School. Teaches “Creative Freedom in Performance” with syllabus created using meditation techniques, Demidov’s individual scale work and ensemble devising tools. 2025 – Participating artist, “Apocalyptic Yesterday”, commissioned by Bow Arts curated by Hidden Keileon 2025 – Devising Performer for “The Nutmeg’s Curse”, performed at Tara Theatre. Created for the Climate Justice Festival presented by Kali Theatre, New Earth Theatre and Tara Theatre 2024 – Performance Coach for “Two Plant Gaysians”, staged at The Pleasance, created and produced by Hidden Keileon
“…Two Plant Gaysians beguiles its audience with story of love, identity and botany set in different countries on opposite sides of the globe…Ghost and John create a captivating tribute to their plant friends which makes enjoyable and splendid theatre.“ 2024 – Performer & Collaborator for “Bat Night Market” at LIFT 2024
4* by The Stage “Fascinating, immersive show about ecology, geopolitics and the future of food production” 2022 – Performer for “Paradoxical Gasp”, performed at The Crypt Gallery, created and produced by Hidden Keileon.
“An experimental and artistic delve into heavy themes of political control and the pursuit of freedom.” 2019 – Director, production designer and performer for “The Ideal Woman”, performed at CINE (Spain) and The Cockpit Theatre (UK).
“This theatre piece is not for those who like a nice, straightforward play. It isn’t a play at all, it is a show that takes us on an emotional journey, that invites us to process our own frustrations, guilt, rage, hope. It engages and reflects the challenges of womanhood.” 2017 – Co creator and co director for “DUALITY;”, presented at PAM, Malaysian Institute of Architects (Malaysia)
“It was more than just gender and sexuality, it was about challenging what normal really is in a very personal way.”
“I didn’t know what to expect, but I was honestly just blown away…some scenes will hit you to the core, and others will give you goosebumps in a way you can’t quite comprehend.”
Do you have a degree in visual or applied arts at undergraduate and/or post-graduate level? Please provide details. (200 words)
BA in Theatre & Film (Hanyang University, Seoul, South Korea)
training includes: set design, lighting design, sound design, stage make up design, western & eastern theatre and film history, experience in both on stage and production creative processes. MA in Acting (East 15 Acting School)
training includes: Shakespeare, devising, movement and voice.
BA in Theatre & Film (Hanyang University, Seoul, South Korea)
training includes: set design, lighting design, sound design, stage make up design, western & eastern theatre and film history, experience in both on stage and production creative processes.
MA in Acting (East 15 Acting School)
training includes: Shakespeare, devising, movement and voice.
I have been involved in the founding of two collectives. One in Malaysia and one in the UK.
As one half of The VSC Project, I’ve co produced, co directed and co designed an immersive show “DUALITY;” a show mounted in conservative Malaysia aimed at creating a safe space for the LGBTQIA+ and non binary community to exist fully as themselves, as well as a space for audience and performers to explore the extremes of the gender binary and everything in between. The piece was presented in the Malaysian Institute of Architect’s headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.
As the co-founder of Cognatus (UK) with actor-composer Siiri Partanen (Finland) and Susanna Hyvärinen (Finland), I’ve directed, designed and performed in “The Ideal Woman”, a show combining spoken word, song and movement to embody narratives carried within women’s bodies through different cultures and generations. The show was created, grown and performed in both the UK and Spain.
“Apocalyptic Yesterday” commissioned by Bow Arts, curated by Hidden Keileon
The Room of Remembrance (2025) | tracing papers, 30 minute soundscape through portable speaker, aroma diffuser, bamboo fortune sticks, folder with written bookmarks,
The room of remembrance was conceived out of the desire to stretch time. It is a longing. It is a meditation. A pause from seeking, grasping and chasing. It is a ritual. Permission to look within, and to hold what is there with no judgment, no expectations. It is a shrine. For us to learn as a community, how to hold space for each other, to allow for vulnerabilities, and to realise that this might be the only way we keep these stories alive.
There is almost nothing in this room (2025) | lamp, voice recordings, playback recorder
There’s almost nothing in this room. Only voices coming and going. Bodies entering and exiting. Sometimes they linger for a while longer. Sometimes they linger a while longer to immemorialise their presence in the space by speaking into the recorder. This room does not need to be anything in order to hold everything. It just does.
Feedback:
“Both works provided a sanctuary space to the busy streets of London, holding stories of the community. It held great sensitivity to the subject matter and offered a very valuable experience to the visitors.” – Curator
“The room of remembrance was a little oasis in the vast expanse of life. Vinna’s voice and soundscape design soothes and creates a space inviting nostalgia, reflection, introspection, contemplation.” – Audience
C.IN.E Sineu (Centre d’investigació Escènica de Sineu) Residency (supported by Consell de Mallorca, Institut d’Estudis Baleàrics and the Island Connect network) in 2019 to develop “The Ideal Woman”
part of activities include:
– facilitation of workshop for the community of local women
– showing of “The Ideal Woman” with an audience feedback session
Email: vinna.official@gmail.com
Address: Flat 2, 11 Tarves Way, London, Greater London, SE109JP, GB
Local Authority: Borough of Greenwich
