MMCA Performing Arts 2024: Space Elevator
A Conversation with the Sun (VR)
Apichatpong Weerasethakul
VR Performance
Thai with subtitles in Korean, English
Apichatpong Weerasethakul is a filmmaker known for his tranquil and lyrical works that deal with legends and folklore, personal memories of the forest, anecdotes about past lives, and current issues against the backdrop of the northeast region of Thailand. He continues to break ground in film history with numerous masterpieces, such as Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives (2010, winner of the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival) and Memoria (2021, winner of the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival). Commissioned by Aichi Triennale 2022, this work was created in collaboration with Japanese creatives as an experiential performance piece, with the director delving into VR technology for the first time.
Communing with invisible spectral beings, bodies in sleep or states of sickness, and experiencing time suspended in a circle—Apichatpong, who has brought to life the intangible, the invisible, and the inaudible through his unique visual lexicon, further expands his world in the realm of virtual space through VR. Visual poetry that reaches beyond language, ripples created by Ryuichi Sakamoto’s music, particles of light floating in the air—is it a dream, a return to the origin of life, or a near-death experience? This work is certain to welcome us into a completely new time-space.
○ Venue: MMCA Seoul B1, MMCA Multi-Project Hall
○ Date
November 29, 2024.
15:00, 15:30, 16:00, 16:30, 17:00 (5 performances)
November 30, 2024.
13:00, 13:30, 14:00, 14:30, 15:00, 17:30, 18:00, 18:30, 19:00, 19:30 (10 performances)
December 1, 2024.
10:30, 11:00, 11:30, 12:00, 12:30, 15:00, 15:30, 16:00, 16:30, 17:00 (10 performances)
○ Running time: 60 minutes
○ Audience: 15 people per performance
○ Tickect Price: 8,000 KRW
※ 50% discount for individuals under 24 or over 65, undergraduate students, Art Pass holders, and paid membership holders (Family, Family+)
Apichatpong is recognized as a major international filmmaker and visual artist. His works are characterized by their use of non-linear storytelling, often dealing with themes of memory, identity, desire, and history. His works have won him widespread international recognition and awards, including the Cannes Jury Prize in 2021 for Memoria, his first film shot outside of Thailand. He also won the Cannes Palme d’Or in 2010 with Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives. His Tropical Malady won the Cannes Jury Prize in 2004, and Blissfully Yours won the Cannes Un Certain Regard Award in 2002. His large-scale video installation Primitive (2009) is a multidisciplinary creation that has toured many museums, including the Haus der Kunst in Munich. He participated in documenta thirteen (2012) and won the Gold Prize at the 11th Sharjah Biennial (2013) for his collaboration with Chai Siris. In the same year, he was awarded the Fukuoka Asian Culture Prize. In 2016, he held his first large-scale solo exhibition in Thailand at the MAIIAM Contemporary Art Museum in Chiang Mai. His recent installations include Constellations (2018), Fiction (2018), SleepCinemaHotel (2018), A Minor History (2021, 2022), and Solarium (2023).
※ Notes
- Program is available to reserve through [Exhibition Tickets]-[Performing Arts] on November 15th at 14:00.
- This program is recommended for the ages of 13 and above.
- Admission will not be allowed once the program has begun. Please arrive at the Multi-Project Hall at least 10 minutes prior to the start time.
- Ticket cancellations are accepted until 6:00 p.m. the day before the performance. Cancellations will not be accepted after this time.
- Tickets are non-transferable. If you cannot attend, please cancel your reservation.
- Beginning in November 2024, ticket prices for performances will vary based on each performance’s nature, scale, and format. Please check inpidual performance fees.
This work is co-presented by the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art and the Jeonnam Museum of Art. It will be performed at MMCA Seoul from November 29 to December 1, and at the Jeonnam Museum of Art from December 6 to 8.
Concept and Direction | Apichatpong Weerasethakul
Creative Assistant | Sompot Chidgasornpongse
Cast | Jenjira Pongpas Widner, Sakda Kaewbuadee Vaysse, Chai Bhatana, Sam Mitchell, Sita Kiatneramit
Music | Ryuichi Sakamoto
Sound Designers | Akritchalerm Kalayanamitr, Koichi Shimizu
Director of Photography | Chatchai Suban
Camera Assistant and Production | Thanayos Roopkhajorn
Set Director | Natchanon Pribwai
Film Production Crew | Jirayu Rattanakhanahutanon, Pongsakorn Nanta, Suttipong Nanta
Film Production Manager | Phatsamon Kamnertsiri
Film Production Assistant | Somporn Ruensai
Film Production by Kick the Machine Films
VR Creator | Katsuya Taniguchi
VR Production | Taisei Yamaguchi, Hideyuki Kido, Nuttanit Thiantanukij, Kana Kondo, Satomi Yoshizawa, Hisashi Sato, Yoshinori Ikeda, Hikaru Takatori
VR Adviser | Tsuyoshi Nomura
Technical Manager | So Ozaki
Stage Manager | Sato Oikawa
Lighting Designer | Kazuya Yoshida
Sound and lighting Operation | Shinjiro Doi
Producer/Curator | Chiaki Soma
Production Coordinator | Haruka Shibata
Production Coordinator Assistant | Nanami Hanzawa
Premier Performance/Produced by Arts Commons Tokyo
Premier Performance/Co-Production | Aichi Triennale 2022, The Japan Foundation, Theater der Welt 2023
Special Support | Shane Akeroyd
Co-operation | RHINO STUDIOS INC., SCAI THE BATHHOUSE, Museo Larco
Equipment Support | STYLY, Inc.
Produced by Arts Commons Tokyo
Image: A Conversation with the Sun (VR) (Theater der Welt 2023, performance photo) © Jörg Baumann
