Mechaneyes

2047 Apologue

Collaboration between WHITEvoid, Kinetic Lights and director Zhang Yimou incorporates a mechanical array of arrangeable lamps to provide context to a dance performance:

Chinese director Zhang Yimou who is best known for his movies “Raise the Red Lantern”, “Hero” and “The Great Wall” but also for directing the opening and closing ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics returns to the theater stage with his concept perfomance “2047 APOLOGUE”.  

Zhang Yimou has unveiled his latest work at the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing. Based on Peking Opera “Sanchakou,” “2047 Apologue” is breaking the form of traditional stage plays, combining Chinese folk art with the latest technology. The show aims to mirror reality, commenting on how science and technology are a huge part of life in the 21st century. The show consists of 8 parts, each combining a traditional chinese craft, music or dance style with modern high tech such as lasers, robots, drones and kinetics.

WHITEvoid was commissioned to create, program and direct the kinetic display for the last part of the show called “Weaving Machine”. The 9 minute performance features 640 motorized LED spheres, an anchient chinese weaving machine and a modern dancer. German motor winch producer KINETIC LIGHTS provided the vertical hoist systems for the LED spheres and control software. Russian RADUGADESIGN animated a complementing video backdrop and CPG Concepts from Hong Kong provided the dance choreography for british dancer Rose Alice.