Yun Cheng, THE LIVING BODY (2024), Sandra Lam
April 2025
Yun Cheng, THE LIVING BODY (2024). Performance. Video still by Anson Cheng.
Watching THE LIVING BODY (2024), choreographed by Yun Cheng, is a meditative experience, which is very much needed in the hustle and bustle of city life in London.
Breathe In.
The performance features three dancers moving gently with their bodies as the music goes on, creating a state of calmness where actions are guided by intuition. Hand. Shoulder. Head. Spine. Knee. Feet.
A sense of spontaneity and action are a vital aspect of Cheng’s work. The dancers explore their bodies in the form of improvised actions in their solo performances. Much of the performance is focused on the understanding of the body through repetitive movements that the body uses to communicate complex emotions and express identity.
As the performance evolves, the three dancers imbue the piece with a subtle personal narrative about their experiences of creating the work. While their approaches are different, it does create a sense of harmony among them.
The work also reveals the relationship between body and mind, through a series of physical movements designed to explore the awareness of the body and the state of the mind, investigating the philosophy of self-awareness.
Breathe Out.
Time feels slow in this poetic body-based performance art.
Performed by Cecilia Huang, Chi-Hsuan Lin and Devaraj Thimmaiah.
Breathe In.
The performance features three dancers moving gently with their bodies as the music goes on, creating a state of calmness where actions are guided by intuition. Hand. Shoulder. Head. Spine. Knee. Feet.
A sense of spontaneity and action are a vital aspect of Cheng’s work. The dancers explore their bodies in the form of improvised actions in their solo performances. Much of the performance is focused on the understanding of the body through repetitive movements that the body uses to communicate complex emotions and express identity.
As the performance evolves, the three dancers imbue the piece with a subtle personal narrative about their experiences of creating the work. While their approaches are different, it does create a sense of harmony among them.
The work also reveals the relationship between body and mind, through a series of physical movements designed to explore the awareness of the body and the state of the mind, investigating the philosophy of self-awareness.
Breathe Out.
Time feels slow in this poetic body-based performance art.
Performed by Cecilia Huang, Chi-Hsuan Lin and Devaraj Thimmaiah.
Top to bottom: Cecilia Huang, Devaraj Thimmaiah, Chi-Hsuan Lin
Sandra Lam is a curator and writer based in London. She holds an MFA in Curating from Goldsmiths, University of London. Her curatorial research examines the politics of aesthetics and investigates how curating can contribute to an understanding of contemporary discourses, focusing on activism, migration and the environment. She is interested in socially engaged practice that addresses questions of identity and belonging. Her practice aims to bring a voice to the unheard narratives of the marginalised communities. Sandra has held positions across various arts organisations including museums, contemporary art galleries and auction houses, as well as in editorial and public relations contexts. She is currently the Lead Curator at Hidden Keileon CIC and Curator of Programmes & Engagement at Bow Arts.