雲門舞集2010秋季演出 《屋漏痕》

Water Stains on the Wall
World Premiere
November 19-28, 2010
The National Theater, Taipei, Taiwan

The virtuosity of Cloud Gate dancers has made the critics to ask “when has one ever seen a company with such magical and beautiful body?” (Neues Deutschland) and rave that they “possess a control and articulation that verge on the superhuman. These are performers who can make stillness every bit as eloquent as animation. In fact, they have the power to change your metabolism” (Chicago Sun Times). In his new work Water Stains on the Wall, Lin Hwai-min challenges them with the task of dancing on a rigged, tilted stage.

Covered with white Marley, the set looks like a piece of rice paper, onto which images of drifting clouds in different degrees of blackness are projected. They look like flowing ink, creating exquisite spaces that are constantly shifting. The total effect reminds one of Chinese classical landscape painting.

To the music that consists of traditional Chinese instruments against a soundscape of water dripping, the light gray silk robes worn by the dancers are constantly “dyed” black by the projected clouds and reappear in shinning white light. Deeply grounded on the tilted floor, yet appear to be floating all the time: whirling and leaping high on the top of the white space, they give the illusion of the summer clouds and the water stains on the wall.

The title of the dance came from a conversation between two of the most respected calligraphers in China:

“Where do you get the inspiration for your calligraphy?” asked Yen Chen-ching, the great master of brush writing in Tang Dynasty (618 - 907).

“I observe summer clouds that resemble mountains with spectacular peaks,” replied the young Huai Su, who later became the most renowned calligrapher of the wild cursive style.

“How about water stains on the wall?” asked Yen Chen-ching.

“Right on!” exclaimed Huai Su.

In reality, water stains on the wall are the result of a long process of natural evolution, organic and unpretentious. The legend of the conversation established “water stains on the wall” as a popular metaphor that represents the highest state in the aesthetics of Chinese calligraphy. Lin Hwai-min and dancers take off from this metaphor and create an abstract work of beauty and magic that stands sublimely on its own