Advancing Research Capacity
Seeding Innovation
The ARC Residency offers artists studio time and support to dig into a technical element with a focus on artistic rather than only practical considerations. With a long history of groundbreaking technical achievements, our Core Artists know firsthand how these kinds of work processes make true innovation possible.
For this second iteration, we selected four brilliant artists doing some amazing work that it was our great pleasure to support. Read about their amazing projects below. Stay Electric! ⚡
Kevin Nguyen
Kevin used the ARC Residency to develop “In the Countryside I Saw a Ghost,” a Crystal Pite–inspired movement theatre piece that explores his father’s experience with a ghost while growing up in Vietnam. By adding projection and immersive sound to the work, he’s seeking the reactions a visually and audibly striking show can elicit within a performer. What physical movements will blossom within once the atmosphere is built using all of the technical elements available?
“The ARC residency has been a tremendous opportunity. One that allowed me to dive deeply into my creative process in a way I hadn’t experienced before. Having access to a dedicated space to explore, create, and craft ideas without the pressure of a final product was both liberating and deeply informative.
Mind of a Snail
Mind of a Snail were working on their piece-in-progress “The Feast.” Imagine a table, set with a meal, and a camera for live video, connected to a projector. On a large screen, analog shadow puppetry is layered into the digital projections. These elements can interact with each other and the performers’ bodies in lots of fun and surprising ways.
“It was a short residency, but we were still able to make some important decisions for the piece we are working on.”
David C Jones
David is adapting his TYA show “Spaced Out” for an adult audience, following a sold out Fringe run. “Spaced Out” uses the analogy of space travel in a broken starship to explore the impacts of of mental health and trauma in day to day life. He spent the ARC exploring ways to make the show’s technical elements more sophisticated.
“In my previous show Eviction Conniption I sang a song with 2 other versions of myself, but it was a rather crude digital trick. I want expand on that concept with new technical approaches.”
Joshua Ongcol
Like so many people in our community, Joshua’s life and work were profoundly and painfully interrupted by the deadly tragedy at Lapu Lapu Festival in April.
As a result, he wasn’t able to participate in the ARC Residency. Our heart is with him and everyone else still reeling from the violence and loss. We look forward to being able to host him at Left of Main in the future.
In the meantime, we wanted to take this opportunity to remind our community that the impact of that event is still rippling outward. Grief creates so many fractures, and those fractures don’t get repaired when the event that caused them falls out of the news as these things do.
Anyone looking to offer a hand of love to those affected can find a list of funds to donate to at https://vanfilemergency.my.canva.site/ or on instagram @vanfilemergency
