MUJO filming

Film shoot for our new piece MUJO.

MUJO (impermanence) is a dance piece using the sandy desert as the performance arena, with visuals projected on a large dune in which the dance takes place. There will be two final outcomes: an immersive multi-channel film installation, and a live performance in the desert.

The piece highlights the impermanence of life. We constantly assemble and disassemble in various forms, experiencing emotions, struggles, and changes in the process of development. We build and achieve some shape, but there is nothing to hold onto as everything will eventually fall apart like sand. We explore this question: “How do we accept the fact of impermanence in our life?” through a repetitive pattern. The dance performance takes place on a desert dune, where the sand symbolizes the transience of existence. The projected visuals on the dune create a contrast between the natural and the artificial, the static and the dynamic, the eternal and the ephemeral.

MUJO reflects Purring Tiger’s vision of exploring the human condition and celebrating diversity through a fusion of movement, sound, and visuals.

Credits:
Art direction, choreography: Kiori Kawai
Art direction, visuals, sound: Aaron Sherwood
Film direction: Surabhi Sharma
Dance: Mary Chase, Bettina Schober, Lillian Castillo-Müller, Leen ElMobaddr, Kiori Kawai
Cinematography: Talha Muneer, Nathan Jia

Supported by New York University Abu Dhabi, Liwa Art Hub/Ahmed Saleh Al Yafei

Desert Improvisation Experiments – Day 5

For our last day we decided to get up before the sun, hike in, and record dance and flute alone without the projections and sound manipulations. It was a beautiful way to end our wonderful time in a magical place.

We also captured some “singing sand” sounds by causing small avalanches to happen while walking down a soft steep dune. This is an interesting effect that happens in this desert where sand particles rub against each other and resonate at audible frequencies producing trombone like sounds:

Starting out:

Kiori hiking up with the setting moon (that’s not the sun!):

Pre, during, and post-recording, the sun is up!

Sunrise and moonset at the same time:
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Dune texture:
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